


Breaking Barriers

by smolpurpleboy



Series: Forgive and Hope AU [1]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Cunnilingus, Ecto-Genitalia (Undertale), Ecto-Tongue (Undertale), Ecto-Vagina (Undertale), Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Gaster is a Skeleton, Honestly the tag is 'porn with plot' but it's more like 'plot with porn', Hurt/Comfort, Knotting, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Porn With Plot, Porn with Feelings, Pre-Accident W. D. Gaster, Sans and Gaster are not related, Sign Language, Size Difference, Size Kink, Vaginal Fingering, Vaginal Sex, dont let the tags deceive you, the porn is just a bonus
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-11
Updated: 2017-10-11
Packaged: 2018-10-17 14:10:46
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 56,233
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10595631
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/smolpurpleboy/pseuds/smolpurpleboy
Summary: Mistakes were made, hearts were broken, souls were taken or destroyed - but that doesn't mean things can't change. The Surface may seem out of reach, and even happiness seems far-fetched, but that won't stop the Underground's inhabitants from trying.Asgore Dreemurr and W.D. Gaster, a more than unlikely pair, struggle through hardships both internal and external. They learn to help each other through anything and everything, and they might even end up breaking the Barrier while they're at it.





	1. An Awkward Attempt at Comforting the King

**Author's Note:**

> This story's super fuckin long. The doc with the whole unedited thing so far is over 160 pages. It's an rp i have with a friend, and I don't think it'll be done anytime soon, but I'll try to update this fic about once a week to keep things moving.  
> (the rp has branched off at this point, but i will be continuing writing the fic, as i know how i want it to end. and...there will be a sequel >w>)

Sans walked up to Gaster, who was poring over some sort of diagram. His steps were quiet, but purposefully loud enough that he hopefully wouldn't startle the taller skeleton. He tapped him on the shoulder. "Asgore wants to see you," he said softly.

Gaster honestly hadn't heard Sans approach, so preoccupied with what he was focusing on. The tap on the shoulder had startled him, his body stiffening along with the tentacles that had been idly swaying before this. He'd brought himself under control during the brief moment before he turned around to look at his lab assistant, expression dull, though his soul still felt uncomfortable from being startled. Extremely so. God, not initiated by himself could be so rattling

He raised his hand to sign. 'He does? Really? The next scheduled appointment with him isn't today, is it?'

Sans’ hands retreated into the pockets of his lab coat. "It's not...He seemed quite distressed, but I'm sure if there was any threat of danger he would've come here himself."

'I see.' Gaster signed, frowning. 'I suppose I'll see what he wants then. Can't exactly ignore a king's summons, even if I'd rather focus on my work. I wonder what he needs from me.'

The royal scientist stood, He was a tall skeleton, easily towering over Sans. The heels he wore beneath the long flowing robe increased their height difference. He began to leave. If Sans had something more to say to him, he'd stop and listen; otherwise, he'd be out the door and on his way to the castle.

Sans went about his business for the day; he seemed to enjoy his work, despite everything that was happening in the Underground. It gave him some sort of respite from the nightmares all around him.

===

Asgore waited patiently, paw stilling as he heard the telltale noise of heels approaching. His gaze remained on the flower he'd been petting. "Thank you for coming, Gaster..." He cleared his throat. "You didn't have to, you know. I...know you have important work to do. I appreciate it."

Gaster stood outside the bed of flowers, hands laced together behind his back. He'd always been respectful of these flowers, not wanting to trample on them. The mute was waiting for Asgore to look at him so he could sign, gazing at the king inquisitively.

As usual, his magic was kept tight against his body, making it impossible to feel his emotions as a result.

Asgore looked up at Gaster. "I- I would appreciate it if you came closer...I'm not exactly partial to speaking loudly at the moment. Don't mind the flowers, I can always plant more." He gave the skeleton a weak smile as reassurance.

Gaster’s gaze trailed from the king to the flowers directly in front of himself. He was hesitant, but then began to walk forward, being as careful as he could.

'Why did you summon me, sire? Business or social?' Deciding that sounded too unfriendly, he added 'Did something happen?' as he stood near his king.

Asgore patted the ground beside him gently, gesturing for the scientist to sit. "My- my wife...Toriel...has left me," he said quietly, looking away briefly before focusing on Gaster once more. "I thought perhaps I could...confide in you...?"

Gaster stood still for a few moments as he took in the news, aside from his tentacles, which were almost always in constant motion, slowly writhing at the ground. His expression shifted slightly. It was hard to tell on the outside, but he felt sympathetic. He settled down on the bed of flowers, sitting in front of the king. Gaster already knew why she left. Why, though, did Asgore choose him of all monsters to confide in? He took a moment to sort out what he wanted to sign.

'I'm sorry.' His gaze was perhaps a little intense, studying him, trying to read him. 'You can confide in me, though I am surprised. I'm not exactly the most approachable of monsters.'

"I trust you," Asgore said simply. He took a few deep breaths; he knew eventually he would break down, but he wanted to prolong the calm as long as he could. "She...I...I don't know if she thought it through..." He fidgeted with his ear anxiously. "I thought...she was happy to be...with me. I thought she would stay through anything. I thought we could make it through anything together."

Gaster’s soul felt a pang, a sting. He didn't feel much for most, but that didn't mean he was heartless. He could sympathize with someone who had just lost their wife, though he didn't know what he could do to comfort him. It was not something he was good at.

'You did what you had to do, Asgore. I think you know what I'm referring to. The humans. Their souls. You're doing what's best for your kingdom.'

Surely their murder is why Toriel left him.

"Yes..." He closed his eyes. "I thought she would support me...that she would...want this...but she couldn't bear to look at me anymore." He began rubbing the same petal on the same flower again. "I don't understand...She's been through everything I have, yet she still...doesn't believe this is the right thing." He looked at Gaster, wondering what the skeleton was thinking - he had a few guesses, but was aware that they were likely clouded by his own thoughts.

'May I speak freely, Sire?' Gaster had a few choice words to say about the former Queen.

"Always, Gaster," the king replied earnestly. "I want to hear everything you have to say, everything that's on your mind." He watched his scientist carefully.

Gaster's expression was unreadable. So was his magic - but Asgore and anyone else who knew him was probably already used to that. 

Except Sans. Sans flustered him sometimes.

'She was far too weak a ruler. Personal morals are something one in a position of power must be willing to cast aside for the good of the people. She was too soft to make the right decision. You, however, are strong. You are doing what needs to be done even though it hurts. You are a good king.'

Admittedly, that was something Asgore had not been expecting Gaster to say. He blinked, confused for a moment. It took a few seconds for him to grasp that he had been complimented, reassured. "Th-thank you, Gaster." Tears pricked at the corners of his eyes, and he rubbed them away with his paws. "I miss her. I miss...them." He couldn't bear to say ‘my children,’ let alone their names. "I feel so utterly alone."

Hmm... What to say. Or what to do? Should he touch Asgore's shoulder? No, Gaster wasn't too comfortable with that idea...

'Your entire kingdom adores you.' He reminded him.

Asgore let out a small sob, nodding. "They- they don't see what goes on. They don't see the- the way they look at me, the fear in their eyes." If he hadn't known Gaster better, he would've pulled him close. "If they were able to...to see the...the children...the way I saw them, they would never even begin to think of me the- the way they do."

'I don't believe that. Your kingdom knows you're doing this for their own sake. They know you want to free them all. When the news is heard that you've slain another human, some of us worry about you because we know you must be in mourning.'

He had signed the word 'us' instead of 'them'. That implied that Gaster himself worried about the king too. It wasn't a lie.

Asgore felt much too big in that moment. He wanted to shrink down and hide among his flowers. Since that was impossible, he brought his knees to his chest and rested his chin on them. "I...I don't want any of you to worry," he said quietly, indicating that he had noticed Gaster's choice of words. "Every one of you deserves the best, and if I had things my way, you wouldn't spare a second thought about me.”

That pang in Gaster’s soul worsened. It wasn't fun seeing Asgore like this, hearing him be so...dismissive about himself and his importance.

'You are loved for a reason. You are kind. You are gentle. You are compassionate. And despite what you seem to believe, doing a horrible deed for the sake of your kingdom doesn't change that fact.'

Sometimes he wished he could put emphasis on his words, but that was impossible to do when he communicated not with the spoken word, but through sign language instead. It made him appear even more stoic than he intended sometimes. There was another way, though, that he could give a little more meaning behind his words. Hesitantly he leaned forward and placed a hand on the king's shoulder, trying to be comforting. Goodness, this was uncomfortable, but Gaster was trying.

Asgore looked at Gaster with a sort of sad happiness in his eyes. They were red and swollen, giving away the fact that he'd spent much of the day in tears. He smiled softly at him. "Thank you..." He looked away again. "I'm...glad you think that about me. I just sometimes think they put me on a pedestal, you know? Like no matter what I do it's alright 'cause I'm so high up."

Gaster removed his hand from Asgore's shoulder, relieved he'd managed not to show the discomfort that touch brought him, even if he had been the one to initiate said touch. He sat silently, waiting for Asgore to look at him again, tentacles swaying absentmindedly.

Asgore chuckled softly, smiling at the skeleton once again. "Thank you, Gaster. I hope someday I can return the favor." A sharp sadness passed through him - he was a physically affectionate monster, and it pained him that he couldn't pull Gaster into a warm embrace. _Maybe,_ he thought, _maybe one day I can._

'Favor? All I did was speak the truth. You have the love of all your subjects.' Well, most of them. Toriel probably hated him. 'And it's not because you're a king. Everyone knows how sweet you are. You don't exactly make an effort to hide it. You treat ever monster like your friend. That's why they love you.'

A warm tingle ran up Asgore's spine and he nodded. "They _are_ my friends," he said quietly. "I love each and every one of them." Though he was covered in fur, the blush of his magic shone on his cheeks - he wasn't exactly conservative with it, so anyone around could tell just how flattered he was.

Gaster felt the shift in Asgore's magic. _Pft, how cute..._

'Unprofessional as it is, it's endearing.'

"I don't believe in professionalism," Asgore stated, warm but serious. "I think most every situation could be improved with friendliness."

'See, this is exactly why the entirety of your kingdom loves you. Things like this.'

It seemed like Asgore was feeling a little better now. That was good...Gaster wondered when he'd be able to return to work. There was so much to be done...

'Are you feeling better now, by the way?'

Asgore gave a somewhat weak smile. "Much," he assured his scientist. "Again, thank you. You- it means the world to me." He glanced away with an awkward cough, looking back after a short moment. "I am sure you have work to be doing. I admire your dedication."

Really? This little chat meant that much to the king? How...sweet of him. It was a good thing Gaster kept his magic so close and guarded; otherwise, Asgore would have felt it flutter bashfully.

'I am very dedicated to my profession. Work is my life, Sire.'

There was no lie there. He practically lived at the lab. He hadn't slept at all last night. His body felt like it wanted to give out on him. Even so, his movements were always graceful, another way to guard himself, to keep from giving away how he felt...though occasionally he'd get caught napping in the lab. He stood.

'Refresh my memory: When is our next scheduled appointment?'

Asgore remained seated, eyes following Gaster's movements. The question caught him off guard. "Ah- it's...tomorrow, right?" He laughed softly and scratched the back of his neck with his paw. "S-sorry, I should have just...waited till then to talk to you."

'It's fine - though I don't know why you insist on such frequent updates. Our work can be a slow, arduous thing. Why not come by every couple of months instead?'

A quiet noise of protest left Asgore's throat before he could stop it. "I-I would...um..." He struggled to find the right words. "M-miss...get...lonely." He smiled nervously up at the skeleton. 

...Oh.

Gaster's eye socket widened, a light bit of purple magic tinting his cheekbones. He didn't know what to say. He didn't know what to think, frozen for a moment as he registered in his mind the true intent of Asgore's frequent visits. Gaster hadn't at all been expecting this.

He looked away, scolding himself inwardly for breaking his composure. His tentacles moved a little closer to himself.

Asgore looked away as well, face burning. "I...I'm...sorry..." he muttered. He bunched up a patch of fur on his leg in one of his paws. He looked back up at Gaster, feeling a little selfish for awaiting a reply. 

Gaster's head was reeling. Exactly how much did Asgore like him? Was it an affection that exceeded regular friendship? And if so, how long had his king felt that way about him? Before Toriel left? That had happened very recently.

'It's fine,’ he signed, a little quickly due to feeling flustered. Realizing Asgore might not have read that properly, he signed again, though slower this time, 'It's fine. No need to apologize. I'm just surprised, is all.' He felt so uncomfortable right now. Asgore was sweet, but the thin skeleton would never get used to any of, well, this.

Asgore nodded and uncurled himself from his position. He stared at the ground, focusing much too hard on it. "I...like I said, I'm not particularly fond of...professionalism..." He but his lip, regretting the words as soon as they left his mouth. "Um..."

If Gaster had lungs, he would have inhaled a sharp breath. Instead he just stared at Asgore in disbelief. His boss and king was flirting with him. This was surreal. He wanted to flee, but he didn't want to give away his fear. He also knew it would be best to remain respectful to the king, so he couldn't get snappy and overly defensive.

His hands were shaky, signing much slower than he would have liked. It was a sure sign he was nervous too. 'I h a v e t o g o. B u s y.'

Gaster turned to leave, walking at a brisk pace.

If there was a wall close by, Asgore would've likely slammed his muzzle against it. He cursed himself for being so careless. He covered his eyes with his paws, tears streaming from his eyes once more. He was so tired of crying. He knew he was coming across as desperate for romance. He didn't want Gaster to think he just happened to be the focus of his affections. How long had he even felt this way? The king genuinely couldn't remember. Part of him wondered if all that time spent fondly communicating with the skeleton was something more than he thought.

After a bit, he stood and dragged himself to his bedroom to crash.


	2. Everybody Loves Gaster

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If Sans seems out of character, in the context of the game itself, that is a correct assumption. This is how I imagine him before everything went to shit in the Underground.

"So..." Sans said when he heard Gaster return to the lab. He looked up at him, and his expression immediately became concerned. "...Gaster? Did something happen?" The small skeleton was incredibly startled; he couldn't remember any time Gaster had ever been visibly shaken like this.

Gaster had closed the door behind him and leaned back against it, obviously in distress. He felt a little better being back in the familiar space of the lab, though still a little uneasy. He closed his good eye and took a moment to ponder how much he wanted to reveal to Sans. Opening his eye again, he signed, 'He flirted with me.'

Sans had to force himself not to grin or laugh. "I'm...sorry...?" he ventured. "Was that all he wanted to talk about?"

 _Calm yourself,_ he told himself inwardly. _It's okay. It was only flirting. It's not a big deal._ Yet he quivered again as he thought about it. _God, I have issues._

'No.' Gaster pushed himself from the door and seated himself on a chair near the smaller skeleton. He crossed one leg over the other, a heel poking out from underneath his robe. He brought a hand up to his temple.

"Well that's good at least. Or, I think so." He smiled reassuringly. "I mean, who could help flirting with you?" Maybe it wasn't the right thing to say, but hopefully cracking a characteristic half-joke would cheer his boss up a bit.

Gaster found himself blushing again, and he hated it, but he trusted Sans enough that showing any emotion in front of him didn't scare the royal scientist.

'Our Queen has resigned. This will definitely be on the news. You would have found out soon enough, so it's not exactly a secret I have to keep. Asgore was upset. He summoned me to the castle because he felt he could confide in me. I don't understand why.'

Sans blinked. "Well...I do brag on you a bit," he admitted, scratching the back of his skull. "I had, ah...wondered what was going on. With Toriel, I mean. More and more lately I've noticed she's been distant..." he paused; if he'd had lips, he would've bitten them - instead he just grinded his teeth together a bit. "Gaster? Can I be honest with you? Usually I wouldn't even ask that, but this is...a lot for you to take in, I think."

'Yes, Sans, you can be honest with me. Always. Even if sometimes you are a bit crude and your jokes horrible.'

Sans grinned, but it soon faded. "Well...he's been...uh...this isn't new," he explained slowly. "As you know, I'm fairly good at reading magic - probably from being around someone so guarded for most of my time." He grinded his teeth again, slower this time. "I didn't want to say anything, because I knew you wouldn't exactly appreciate the sentiment."

_Oh, how wonderful._

'Are you telling me you knew our king has a thing for me, and not only that, he's felt like this before Toriel left him? That I've attracted the attention of a married man? A very important married man who controls the fate of my job and my salary?'

Sans looked away, face flushing blue. "I...should've told you, I suppose. I mean...they haven't exactly been on good terms for a while. He's...not in control of his magic most of the time, so she probably caught on fairly quickly...that...would explain a lot, actually." He looked back at Gaster. "I...I'm sorry, Gaster. I know you have trust in me, and I am infinitely sorry for letting you down."

Gaster sighed. There was no voice to accompany the sound, just the blowing of air through his teeth. He was tired. So _tired._

'Stop that, Sans. You didn't let me down. Don't you go feeling down on yourself, too. You haven't disappointed me once, and you're one of the best damn scientists I've got in this building. it's just...' He paused. 'Never mind. I'll get over this incident with the king.' A look of unease crossed his face 'Oh god, is he still coming here tomorrow?'

"I-I assume so," Sans stuttered out, caught off guard by the question. "You'll be alright. Well..." He paused. "Ah...do you...you know?" He smiled reassuringly. "I won't be offended if so."

'Offended about what?' Gaster wasn't sure what Sans was asking of him, and his smile wasn't reassuring him. Gaster still felt so tense.

"I mean...you wouldn't be so flustered if you didn't...ahh...feel the same way, right?" Sans forced himself to keep talking, though he was terrified of upsetting his boss and friend. "It's not like you haven't been hit on before... Hah, I mean, you're around me all the time." He shrugged, a light dusting of cyan on his cheekbones..

Gaster bristled and his tentacles moved closer to himself again. He felt panic again, for a moment losing control of the way he kept his magic guarded. Sans would have been able to feel for a brief moment the extent of his current anxiety.

'No. This is different. He's the king. He's my boss. I've never felt any sort of romantic feelings for him. It's just.., he seemed so sincere. Like he really _needed me,_ not meaningless flirtation with purely physical desires behind them. I'm not suggesting that's your intent, by the way. I'm thinking about other monsters when I say that. It's true, though - others have made advances on me far more times than I'd care to count.'

Sans nodded in understanding. "I don't really think he's the type to think that way...and, Gaster, I'm quite sure he doesn't see you as an employee or subject, he sees you as a friend." He paused for a brief moment. "He wouldn't have confided so much in you if he didn't."

'I know. And I feel guilty for practically running away after he came on to me. I'm just not ready for any sort of romance. From anyone. Hell, I'd sooner go to bed with a stranger than get into an intimate relationship.' His shoulders moved in a way that implied laughter. He'd chuckled mutely to himself. 'I called him unprofessional, yet here I am saying such things to one of my own employees.'

Sans huffed. "I'd hope you see me as at least a little more than that," he said indignantly. "Though, knowing the poor guy, he's not gonna get over that anytime soon." He sighed quietly. "I think he looks up to you, to be honest. I mean, you're practically a genius, and so dedicated." He smiled gently. "I might as well be able to read his mind, ya know."

'Yes, well, I just hope tomorrow isn't going to be awkward as hell. Perhaps someone else should brief the king on our progress in my place. Maybe Alphys. Or would that be too mean? She'd probably die of embarrassment. It's no secret she likes him.' Another mute sigh. 'Or you can do it. Someone other than me.'

Sans frowned. "Gaster...is it really getting to you that bad? Jeez, you're so stoic. I'm...frankly, I'm a little worried. I'll do that for you, sure thing, but he'll be a nervous wreck, asking where you are an' stuff." He tapped on his jaw thoughtfully. "Do you maybe need some down time? Destressing or whatever?"

Gaster felt guilty for worrying Sans. He was touched his assistant cared for him enough to worry, though still guilty. 'I'm fine. Or at least I will be. Besides, I'm used to being stressed. I should get back to work. Are you sure you want to take my place tomorrow in briefing the king?'

"I’ll do it if that's what you want," he said carefully. "I do think it'll worry him a bit more, but I'm not sure what effect that will have after that." He slumped over a bit. "I think I'm gonna go there and talk with him instead...I don't think it'd be good for either of you to be in here together...if you're trying to avoid him, that is."

Gaster drummed his delicate fingers against his femur through the pitch black robe, taking a moment before responding as he pondered his situation.

'The lab is a big place. I'm sure I could avoid him. Maybe if I stay in my office... But anyway, go to the castle to brief him there instead if you wish. And please, Sans, tell him I'm sorry for me, won't you? I'm not ready to face him yet.'

Sans nodded. "Of course." His brow drooped with sympathy. "I hope you can sort this out," he said softly. "And...I know he'll be alright and accepting that you don't reciprocate. I think, above all, he still sees you as a friend."

'I'm not worried about my friendship with the king right now. My only concern is escaping his romantic feelings for me. And about getting some work done. And Sans, thank you. You're too good to me.'

===

Asgore was nervous; it was still a couple hours before his scheduled appointment, but he decided that it might be best to just go on to the lab and get the whole thing over with. It wasn't unusual that he hadn't heard from Gaster, but it made him anxious anyway. He made his way to the lab.

Sans was outside, sitting on the ground against the wall of the lab next to the door with a half-eaten cone of nice cream in his hand. "Oh, hey," he said casually, then his eyes widened and he nearly choked. "I meant to ask you if you were alright with me visiting you instead, but I didn't think I'd need to for a while..."

Asgore rubbed his arm anxiously. "Um...I apologize. Do you mind if I come in and...s-see how things are going?"

"Uh, sure," Sans agreed, standing up. Gaster was going to kill him for this, but Asgore was his king after all, and he didn't really have the soul to explain why it was a bad idea.

The two headed into the lab. Sans just hoped Gaster was already in his office and not out doing something in the main area...

Gaster wasn't in the lounge, or 'break room' as it was often called, but he wasn't in his office either. He was walking through the halls, papers in hand that needed to be filed. He stopped at a water cooler. Had be known Asgore had dropped by he would have been hiding.

Sans heard the click of heels faintly. He cringed internally and hoped Asgore hadn't heard it as well.

He hadn't. He was much too preoccupied with his thoughts. So preoccupied, in fact, that he didn't realize there was a corner to turn and slammed his muzzle against the wall. He cried out and rubbed his nose, eyes watering. "S-sorry, I'm not...myself today," he explained, and cleared his throat.

"Aw, 's'all cool," Sans said nonchalantly and continued walking. Now he hoped _Gaster_ hadn't heard _that_.

Gaster did. He heard a thump and turned his head to stare down the end of the hall. He couldn't see past the corner, so he couldn't see what caused the noise. He stayed silent, and listened, and then he heard it. Asgore's voice.

Immediately he panicked, frozen for a moment as he debated on breaking out into a run or attempt to be more quiet about his retreat. But nothing was quiet about heels in empty hallways with cold metal floors, no matter how carefully one moved. With each second he spent frozen in place, the more panicked he became, the light of his eye small though bright.

An idea struck him. He knew a simple enchantment that would be perfect for this situation! After hastily throwing the cup in the trash beside the water cooler, he kneeled down on one knee and moved a hand above one of his heels, focusing his magic. Thin wisps of purple flowed from his fingers, the magic darkening to black as it settled in his heel, a simple silencing spell. He worked on his other heel, cursing inwardly as he glanced back at the end of the hallway. He needed to get this done before Asgore turned the corner..

There! The enchantment was done! He wasted no time and broke out into a run in the opposite direction, turning a corner just in time.

Asgore was humiliated. As if things weren't already awful for him, he’d just made a complete fool of himself. For the second time. He avoided Sans' gaze, though luckily the skeleton didn't often look his way anyway.

He led the king into the part of the lab where most of his studies took place. There was a neatly stacked pile of papers with his notes on it - if there was one thing Sans prided himself in, it was the extensive detail in which he took his notes. He pulled out two stools and sat on one. He waited for Asgore to sit down, and once he did, began reading off his notes.

Asgore was trying his best to pay attention, honestly he was, but that was somewhat difficult with the level of emotional turmoil he was currently experiencing; plus, he was too embarrassed to ask Sans to repeat anything he said. He wished sometimes that he wasn't so sensitive. It wasn't exactly befitting for someone in his position.

A ferret-like monster silently poked her head into the room, black nose giving a little twitch as her eyes fell upon the king, but where was her boss? Dr. Gaster was always the one to brief the king.

"Excuse me," She adjusted her white lab coat as she approached them. "Have either of you seen. Dr. Gaster? I need to ask him something."

Asgore shook his head and looked to Sans. "He should be around here somewhere," the skeleton mumbled. "Um...let me see if I can find him. Stay here." He stood, a little too abruptly, and walked briskly off in the direction of Gaster's office, where presumably the scientist had fled to.

"Sure. I'll just wait here then." She turned her head to look at the King, giving him a polite smile as Sans retreated.

Sans knocked tentatively on Gaster's office door. "'S Sans," he called, equal parts exasperated and nervous.

The royal scientist was pacing back and forth, hands together behind his back. He whipped his head in the direction of the door when he heard the knock, and he didn't relax when he heard Sans' voice. After all, Asgore could still be with him. He could just...ignore it and pretend he's not here. His silence enchantment was still in effect. They wouldn't have heard him pacing about in his office.

_No, this is ridiculous. Pull yourself together, Gaster._

His long legs brought him to the door in a few strides, and he quietly opened it.

"Someone's here to see you," Sans explained, and before Gaster could say anything else, he explained, "A ferret lady. Said she wanted to ask you something. Seemed kind of urgent." Well, it didn't, but something told Sans if the king and Gaster didn't resolve things soon, something or other not too great was bound to happen.

'Asgore is here.' Gaster signed the obvious, ignoring the topic of the ferret woman for now. 'Where is he? He doesn't know I'm up here, does he?' He felt so childish for being so avoidant like this. He just really, really didn't want to see Asgore right now.

Sans shut his eyes for a moment, forcing himself to hold back a sigh. "You can't avoid him forever, Gaster. I'm sure he knows you're here. It's...not like you're ever anywhere else, hah." He frowned. "You have to cut him some slack...he's a wreck right now. I don't think he's really aware of what he's saying, or even doing. Hell, he slammed his nose into a wall earlier."

'He...' Gaster's hand movements slowed to a stop as he made the connection to the noise he heard earlier and what Sans had just told him. His soul hurt again as he pictured Asgore walking into a wall, though he showed no expression on his face as he tried to stay calm.

'Fine, fine. I'll talk to him. Where is he? And where's Ms. Pyper? That's the ferret.'

Sans nodded. "Just...follow me. One of the experiment rooms. The one where I keep my shit." He turned and headed back down the hallway, trusting that the other skeleton would follow him.

Gaster closed his office door behind him and locked the door before following Sans. He stopped briefly to remove the enchantment on his heels, figuring he didn't need it anymore if he was no longer going to avoid Asgore like the plague. Now his approach could be heard, the clicking of heels obvious as they neared the area of the lab Sans was leading him to.

The royal scientist's gaze fell on Asgore first, lingering there for a moment before looking at the short ferret woman. She really was small, the top of her head level with Sans' collar. Standing next to Asgore, she looked even smaller. Gaster gave a small nod in greeting, the gesture meant for both of them.

Nervous as he was, he did an excellent job at remaining expressionless. That's how he preferred to present himself, anyway.

Sans wondered briefly if Asgore would pass out, start crying, or otherwise freak out. The poor guy...too empathetic for his own good.

"Thanks for waiting so patiently, Ms. Pyper," he said with a smile. Had most of the scientists here not been used to the presence of sentient skeletons, the grin would've been rather unsettling.

'Good morning, Sire. Pyper, would you mind waiting for me for just a bit longer? Perhaps make yourself comfortable in the lounge,' Gaster suggested.

"Sure, I don't mind. Um, but where is the lounge again?" She looked to Sans, silently asking with her eyes for guidance there.

Asgore avoided Gaster's gaze, soul pounding in his chest. He chewed on his lip nervously.

"Down the hall you came from, take a right, 's the first door on the left." He looked at Gaster with a questioning look. After the little lady left, he grinded his teeth and tapped his leg anxiously. "Um...would you prefer if I...went somewhere else for a bit..?"

Gaster responded with a nod. Yes, it would probably be best if he and Asgore were alone. Before waiting for Sans to leave, the slender scientist began to walk towards the king. His own soul was throwing fits, but he remained expressionless as he seated himself on the chair nearest Asgore. Should he give a polite smile? No, he decided he wouldn't.

Sans made himself scarce, figuring he'd find himself some more nice cream and return to his spot outside the lab.

"I...apologize, Gaster," Asgore spoke quietly, forcing himself to meet the skeleton's gaze. "I was quite out of line, and I shouldn't have said what I did. I...hope you can find it in yourself to forgive me, but I understand if you can't."

'You did nothing wrong.' Gaster signed, and he meant it. 'I'm the one who should be apologizing. I could have handled that better.'

Asgore blinked. "I...believe I came across as...saying that because I am newly alone," he said carefully. "It's not exactly morally upright of me, but I've, um...I don't know, maybe I should just leave it be."

Gaster studied him carefully, retaining eye contact. He wished he was as good at reading him as Sans was.

'How long?'

"A...while," Asgore admitted. "My disconnection with...her...started a long time ago...when the barrier went up, after everything happened." He swallowed, fighting tears. "I'm sorry, this is kind of difficult for me to talk about." He paused to take a few breaths. "And even before that, I couldn't help but notice you. And I'm not exactly hard to read... I tend to wear my soul on my sleeve, so I think she did notice that I wasn't exactly as taken with her as I once was." He looked into Gaster's eyes, trying to find any sort of emotion in them. "As for when exactly I started...you know. I'm not sure. I think I realized it a long while from when I started thinking of you in that sense."

Beneath the robe his legs were pressed firmly together and he shifted a bit where he sat, uncomfortable. A great deal of his concentration was on keeping a calm outer appearance, but the way he had tried to avoid Asgore today made it clear enough he was upset with all this, not to mention how he fled from him yesterday.

'But why me? There are plenty of other monsters out there, nicer ones who aren't as unapproachable as I am. Did I lead you on in some way?' Actually, he didn't really want to know the answer to that last question. Gaster was fully aware of his... feminine charms, for lack of a better word. Male monster though he may be, he carried himself more like a woman. His hips swayed when he walked, the sound of heels accompanying every step. His robe wasn't so loose, the fabric closing in more around the waist, showing off how slender he was. He often stood with most of his weight leaned on one leg, hip jutting to the side.

He wasn't trying to seduce anyone, though, that's for sure.

"What? N-no, not at all. I...don't suppose I can very well explain...what...why I feel the way I do." He blushed and looked off to the side. "I don't know how clear this is to others, but things like that aren't often on my mind..." He coughed nervously. "I don't...see you that way...or think of you that way, at all, actually. I- hope that doesn’t make you feel bad or...uh...gosh," he stuttered. "This is weird to talk about. I haven't exactly put words to this before."

Bad..? Did it make him feel bad that apparently Asgore wasn't sexualizing him? Yes and no at the same time. It was relieving to know Asgore's thoughts about him weren't perverse, but... but that meant it was an emotional attraction, didn't it? That scared him. He blushed lightly.

Or maybe Asgore was lying and fantasized about fucking him against the lab equipment. Who knew?

He waited for the other to look at him again before he signed. This was definitely one of those moments where he wished he wasn't mute.

Asgore looked back at him, and if he wasn't already being careful, he would've squeaked at the blush on Gaster's cheeks. That was probably the most unguarded he'd ever seen the scientist. He took his ear in his paw and messed with it nervously.

'No, Sire, it does not make me feel bad to know your attraction seems to be more emotional than physical, at least not in the way of self esteem.' It was cute the way Asgore toyed with his ear.. How dare he be so endearing.

Asgore smiled nervously. "That's good, at least. I-I hope you can um...be around me...without feeling imposed upon..." He took a deep breath. "I mean, I barely get any socialization anyway...ugh, I'm probably just making you feel guilty. I'm...I apologize."

'The only thing I feel guilty over is how I tried to avoid you today. I knew it would make you feel worse, but I hid anyway. I'm sorry. I'm not used to being...well...come on to. Not like this, anyway. Always sexual. Purely physical attraction, but I never got that sense from you. Your intentions to me seem pure, and kind, and it scared me. It...still scares me.' 

That was difficult for Gaster to sign. He didn't like admitting much about himself.

Asgore tended to have somewhat exaggerated facial expressions; those who didn't know him well would think they were sarcastic. The face he made then conveyed his surprise and concern. "It...scares you? Why?" he asked. "I-if you don't...want to say, that's alright, of course."

'Reasons.' Gaster was definitely not ready to go into full detail about that. Not yet anyway, or maybe not ever. From his own perspective, probably never. 'May I make a request of you?'

"O-of course, always." He accidentally pulled on his ear a bit too hard and hissed, returning his paw to his lap. "Anything...um. That...probably sounds kind of weird, huh."

'Less official visits. Lessen them to once every month or two. Two would be better. Progress takes time. If you want to spend more time with me, don't do it under the guise of official business. We can spend time together, as friends, outside the lab.' He felt like his soul was going to explode.

"Yes, of course!" Asgore said with an anxious chuckle. "I-I suppose I just...didn't think you would want to, is all. I mean...I'm kind of boring." He gave a weak smile, face burning up.

Boring? Pft. It's a shame the king thought so low of himself. He was a perfectly charming fellow. A total dork, but that's part of why he was so endearing.

'Text or email me whenever you please. We can arrange something then. But for now, I really should get back to work, and there's a ferret waiting for me.'

"O-of course." He smiled warmly. "Thank you, um...you know. For not...for not um...you know...hating me..."

Gaster didn't smile back, but Asgore and everyone else he interacted with was probably used to that by now. He nodded before signing, 'I'll walk you out.'

He wondered where Sans was and whether or not they'd pass him on the way out. The smaller skeleton would surely have tons of questions.

Asgore nodded. "I'm...very relieved. Thank you for talking to me." He stood and resisted the urge to pull Gaster into a warm hug. If they were to spend more time together, he thought, that might become much harder. "D-do you like tea?" he asked suddenly. "I could get you any kind you like, if you'd like that."

Gaster stood as well, feeling weak as he did so, but that fact didn't show in the movement. Maybe one day he'd stick to a healthy sleeping schedule.

'Since you're offering, anything that helps alleviate headaches would be wonderful.'

Asgore nodded in understanding. "I think I have something that might help," he said softly. "Ah...how often would you want to visit? I would like to be...prepared, you know." He scratched the back of his neck. "Don't want there to be a mess or anything."

He glanced away for a moment, shy, before his gaze returned to the larger monster. 'I don't know. Let's take this slow, okay?' Putting it like that, it sounded like they were dating.

"A-alright. Just, um, message me when you're...available," he said softly. "I don't want to be overbearing."

Asgore would never admit it, if only to be considerate, but his excitement for having someone pay attention to him like that made him feel...hopeful. Which he hadn't felt for a long, long while.

"It...feels good," he said suddenly. "To have a friend." He glanced to the side and back. "I haven't really had someone really talk to me in quite a while."

Oooh. Oh, dear. Now that got another blush out of him. He fought the urge to run again, inwardly reminding himself that there was nothing he should be afraid of.

'Sure... I'll message you.'

"Thank you." They had made it to the door. "See you."

Sans was sitting outside, in the same spot he'd been in when Asgore had arrived. He side-eyed the king and licked his nice cream (he'd finished countless cones already). He was suspicious immediately - the larger monster looked far more happy than Sans expected. "What the hell did you guys talk about to make you look like that?" he poked, and then whistled.

Had Asgore been a different kind of monster, he would've glared at the skeleton. But he wasn't that kind, and instead blushed deeper. "I...believe you should ask Gaster that," he said carefully. "I don't want to tell anything he wouldn't want you to know." He smiled gently and seemed to stare into nothing. "He likes tea."

Gaster had stopped walking with Asgore when they reached the exit to the lab, though from the doorway he did watch him leave, and watched as Sans spoke to him. The royal scientist couldn't hear what they were saying from his position. He could only imagine his lab assistant's curious inquires, shyness welling up within him immediately as he wondered if Sans was being appropriate with his questions.

Sans snorted. "Of course you'd ask him that," he said, mostly to himself, and stood. "Well, I'm gonna get back to work too," he announced and headed back inside the lab after wrapping his tongue around the remainder of his nice cream and swallowing the whole thing.

Asgore averted his gaze and shuddered. He was used to being around the skeletons, sure, but he was sure if he saw that a hundred more times he still wouldn't get used to it.

He headed back to the castle in a better mood than he'd been in for quite a while.

===

Sans leaned against the door after he closed it behind him. "Lurking?" he teased, crossing his arms with a smirk.

'Observing.' Gaster retorted. Should he ask Sans about his brief exchange with the king? He was curious...

"I heard you like tea," Sans ventured. There was a mischievous gleam in his eyes that may or may not be a threat to his safety. "S'pose you guys have something in common, at least."

He paused for a moment and looked Gaster up and down; though still hard to read, he could tell that the skeleton's interests were piqued, but he didn't know exactly what by.

"So what did you talk about? I asked Asgore, but he said he didn't want to tell me anything you wouldn't want me to know..."

'Both you and him are _so_ unprofessional, Sans. Look at you butting into my personal life.' But Gaster wasn't angry at him. ‘I told him to cut down on the official visits, and that if he wants to spend time with me we can do so outside the lab.'

Sans huffed. "I do believe I'm a large part of your personal life, thank you very much," he said in an overly exaggerated voice. "I'm sure that made his day. Or year. Or lifetime." He closed his eyes and sighed. "I can't lie, I am interested. I mean...this is the most emotion I've seen out of you in a while, maybe ever," he pointed out with a genuine smile (for once).

There was no lie there. Personal life and work seemed to mix when Sans was around, something that the royal scientist didn't mind. The smaller monster made things interesting, that's for sure. He gave a small smile at him.

As for his lack of emotional expression... 'I don't know, Sans. Your flirtation has the ability to fluster me so.'

Sans moved forward a bit, reaching out to take Gaster's hand in his own and press his teeth to it. He wouldn't lie, he enjoyed being the only one who could get such a response out of Gaster. "I don't want to push things, I think you know I wouldn't do that, but...I'm glad you have someone that can make you...feel. No matter what that feeling is, I'm not going to pry, but I can tell that you're feeling something. And I like that."

If this had been anyone else, Gaster would have pulled his hand away so fast, but this was Sans, and so he allowed the contact, blushing at the little skeleton kiss to his hand. Through this physical contact he would have been able to feel Gaster's magic. It was full of endearment for his assistant, though extremely flustered. He signed with his free hand.

'I don't think I'll ever get used to how sweet you can be.'

Sans let his hand down gently. "I don't really want you to," he muttered softly, magic gently pulsing from his soul. "No matter what, I will always be here." He headed further into the lab to continue perusing his notes, but not without glancing back at Gaster and giving him a wink.


	3. I Don't Think This is How to Flirt...

Later that night, Gaster retired to his office. His body would not allow him to go another night without sleep no matter how much he'd rather focus on work. He was so exhausted that he knew he wouldn't make it home. That happened a lot, and so he'd long ago bought a cot for his office, even if he didn't use it much considering how often he tried to ignore his body's need to rest.

The headache pounding away inside his skull made him wince as he lay on the cot. It was hard to sleep with the pain. His thoughts wandered to earlier in the day, to Asgore, and to the conversation they'd had. He had told the king he'd message him, hadn’t he?

Unwilling to move too much, one of his tentacles reached out to his office desk, plucking his phone from it and bringing it to his hands. Didn't they have each other added on Undernet? Gaster occasionally checked in on that thing. He was friends with Papyrus there, and the young skeleton's status updates were always cute. Sans' little brother was a darling.

He smiled to himself despite how miserable he felt. Last time he'd seen Papyrus, the little thing had hugged his leg and clung there. Perhaps he was beginning to view him as a father figure? Gaster made a mental note to buy Paps a present sometime soon.

Scrolling through his rather short contact list, he found the king, tapped the message box, and began to type.

'You remember my lab assistant, Sans? You spoke briefly with him as you left the lab. He seems fond of the idea of us together, did you know that? I'm his boss and yet he's always so playful and teasing around me. You're not the only one who lacks professionalism.'

He'd yet to tap send, pressing the return button twice to separate paragraphs. He should probably type something that sounded...nicer.

'Not that I'm complaining. I'm used to him joking around during work hours. It's nice, actually. It's nice having a friend even if he is my employee and, well, I suppose one more... unprofessional relationship would be nice.'

God, he felt anxious, thumb hovering over the send button for a good ten seconds before he gathered the courage to press it.

===

Asgore was currently sitting in a back room in his castle, one that resembled a greenhouse. He cultivated many different sorts of plants there, ones he had brought from aboveground before the barrier went up. He enjoyed being among them; they made the air around him feel better, somehow. Being the king, and a cordial one at that, he was never without some sort of communication device; no matter how often he was contacted, he wanted to reply to each and every message.

Hearing the chiming tone of a text message brought him out of a zone he didn't know he was in. It was...fairly late. Was it Alphys, maybe? Sans? He pulled his phone from a small pocket in his shirt. His soul flipped in his chest when he saw the name "W.D. Gaster" on his screen.

He read the message several times over. He was still in a state of shock after the day's events. Was Gaster...cracking a joke in that beginning part? He didn't exactly come across as someone with much of a sense of humor.

He stared at the message for a moment, unsure of what to reply.

'Howdy, Gaster. :o) I hope you're doing well. I was happy to see you in a better mood today. It brought a lot of weight off my shoulders, haha. Though I can say I'm a bit surprised you messaged me so soon. I mean, in a good way, of course! Haha :o) Would you like to visit this weekend? I may be able to gather some tea specifically grown for headache relief before then. And maybe I can get enough for you to take some back to the lab with you.'

He paused for a moment. That didn't really seem like the right way to end a message, but he definitely didn't want to come across as creepy or weird. He wondered briefly what exactly Gaster considered as being playful and teasing, but decided it would be better not to ask him.

'I look forward to seeing you in a less professional setting, Gaster. Maybe we can get to know each other better. :o)'

He pressed 'send' before he could take it back.

Gaster had closed his eyes after sending the message, holding his phone loosely in his hand as he mutely sighed over his headache. It came as a surprise when his phone buzzed so soon. He read the king's reply, his sweetness coming across loud and clear even through text. He imagined Asgore's smile, large and filled with love, though his eyes were always a little sad.

'I'd like that. The tea and your company. I apologize again for running from you the other day. Please know it's not you specifically that I was afraid of, but I think I already mentioned that to you in the lab, how I'm afraid of relationships.'

He was making this depressing again, wasn't he?

'But I've thought about it and I think I'd like to get to know you better too, though I can't guarantee a romance. You can probably tell I'm a rather guarded individual. We'll see where this goes, I suppose. I am looking forward to it and it'll do me some good to get out of the lab for once.'

Gaster sent the message, then decided to tap the Undernet's notification button, bringing up a screen of status messages and posts. Papyrus had posted a picture of boxes upon boxes of dried spaghetti. There was a smiley face below the picture, and in all capital letters, 'I'M GOING TO COOK ALL OF THIS.'

Asgore would've nuzzled his phone if he wouldn't have felt embarrassed to do so. He was endlessly happy that Gaster was opening up to him, even in such a small way.

'There's no need to apologize. :o) See you soon, Gaster.'

'See you soon, Sire.'

Gaster set his phone down, though not before clicking the like button on Papyrus' post. He drew the blanket over himself and tried to drift off to sleep, both nervous and looking forward to the weekend.

'You can just call me Asgore if you like. :o)'

He smiled at his phone, figuring he probably looked silly. He returned it to his pocket and walked around the room, checking his plants for dryness or malnutrition before retiring to his bedroom for the night.

===

Sans considered making some sort of snarky post regarding the day's events, but decided against it. Even if Gaster didn't see it, Papyrus would, and the poor little skeleton could never keep his mouth shut.


	4. An Actual Angel

It was early in the morning when Papyrus snuck into Sans’ room, being as quiet as he could as he approached his older brother's bed and hoisted himself on top of it. He was small, the bed not making much noise as he settled beside him, sitting up and giddily staring down at Sans. Paps didn't want to wake his brother, so he sat there silently, but he couldn't hide his excitement from his magic.

Sans opened his eyes slowly, the energetic magic dragging him awake. If he hadn't been able to recognize that magic, he would've flipped out, but no one had magic like Papyrus did. He reached up and patted his little brother on the cheek. "What d'you think you're doin', Paps?" he teased sleepily.

"At the moment, just staring at you!" Papyrus was talking a bit loudly, excited as he was, a habit that he'd carry on into adulthood. He leaned into the touch, the affectionate gesture making his soul feel warm.

"Dr. Gaster liked my spaghetti photo! And that got me thinking that we should have him over for dinner sometime! It's been forever since I've seen him last. He's really, really nice!"

Sans smiled softly. "You're cute. I'm sure he would like that, whenever he's not busy," he said. Even being woken up like this, he loved spending time with Papyrus. He was so cheery; one couldn't help being happy around him. He scratched his brother's jaw affectionately and chuckled. "You spend every bit of your allowance on spaghetti, don't you?" he jested.

"Nyeh heh heh~" came Papyrus' happy noise as Sans scratched under his jaw. He then leaned forward and plopped the side of his skull on Sans, nuzzling against him. Comfy. "Not all of it! If I spent all my money on spaghetti I wouldn't have any left for spaghetti sauce and cheese! Silly! Ooh, I can make spaghetti for Dr. Gaster when you get him over here! Drag him over if you have to!"

With how excitable Paps was around Sans, one wouldn't guess what a shy child he was at school. He was afraid to talk to anyone there, and as a result he didn't have any friends. His only friend was Sans, his cool brother, the only monster he could turn to.

And then Sans had brought his boss to the house once, a skeleton Papyrus had heard a lot about but had never met. He was so tall! And patient with him when he was shy and nervous! He was really cool and really nice and he got to use one of those tentacle thingies as a makeshift swing! Gaster was Papyrus' second friend.

"Stop hogging him all to yourself at the lab!"

"What an accusation!" Sans cried, feigning offense. "I would never do such a thing to a great skelly like you." He pressed his teeth to Papyrus' forehead gently. "Can I tell you a secret, Papy?" he whispered with a devious grin on his face. "Ya can't tell anybody."

He made another little 'nyeh' at the skeleton kiss, then a curious 'ooooooo' as Sans brought up secrets. He stared at him.

"What kind of secret?" His voice was hushed, like they were about to discuss secret conspiracies and the walls had ears.

"A really secret secret," Sans said softly back. "I know these two monsters...and they really like each other...." He paused for dramatic effect. "But one of them doesn't know he likes the other yet. So...I'm trying to get them together."

"Ooooooo.." Papyrus whispered. "The one who doesn't realize they like the other yet, how do you know they like them?"

"Let's just say...I know him really well," Sans ventured. "And I can tell what he's thinking." He laughed softly. "They're so nervous around each other, it's the cutest thing."

"Who are they?!" Papyrus asked loudly, sitting up again in his excitement and bouncing in place.

"Well...I'll tell ya, Papy, but you gotta promise not to tell anyone," Sans teased.

"I can keep a secret!" And then, realizing he was talking too loud for a discussion about something secretive, he whispered, "I mean, I can keep a secret."

Sans chuckled and pressed another kiss to Papyrus' forehead. "Okay...it's...Asgore and Gaster." He said this as quietly as he could.

"WHAT?!" Papyrus screeched, and then realizing that he was once again being too loud, "Whaaaat? Asgore as in the _King_ Asgore? And your super charming boss?"

"Mhmm~" Sans said, then pressed a finger to Papyrus' teeth. "Now you can't tell them I told you..." He chuckled quietly. "But when they get married I'll tell 'em they have to make you the best monster."

Papyrus threw his arms up in the air. "I'D LOVE TO! I've never been to a wedding before! Does the best monster get to wear a pretty dress like the bridesmaids!?"

Sans grinned. "If he wants to, sure," he said happily, then yawned dramatically. "Mm, c'n we go to sleep now, Paps? I'm tiiiired..."

"Fine! Okay! But this wedding better happen and you better get Dr. Gaster over here for my delicious spaghetti!" With that said, the tiny skeleton lay down to rest beside him.

Sans hummed softly and pulled his brother into his chest. He focused on making his magic warm, soul pulsing with love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I LOVE THESE BOYS HHHHH


	5. Gaster Stays the Night

At some point during the week, Gaster and Asgore decided via text a specific day and time for their little get-together. When the day arrived, Gaster was rather distracted as he went about his work in the lab. The hours passed by slowly, probably because he couldn't fully concentrate. His mind kept wandering to Asgore.

He'd be seeing him after work...at night... He felt like a nervous teen about to go on his first date. This wouldn't be his first, of course, nor was he an inexperienced virgin, yet still he was fretting over this, and it wasn't even a date! Or was it?

Sans noticed the distant state of his boss during the day, but decided against saying anything, or even giving away that he noticed. He didn't want to make the poor guy even more nervous.

Now Gaster was on his way to the castle, a box of assorted cookies in his hand. He didn't want to show up empty-handed. He wore the same pitch-black robe he usually did. Dressing up in something special would definitely make this feel too much like a date for his liking.

Asgore was waiting outside for him; he had resisted the urge to bring flowers or the tea he'd prepared, or to find anything particularly nice to wear. Everything was clean, of course, but he just didn't want to seem like he was trying to impress Gaster. He didn't want to seem pushy or overbearing. He stood a little too quickly when he saw the skeleton, dizzying himself. "H-howdy," he said nervously with a small wave and a warm smile. "What's that?" He took a couple steps toward Gaster, but not too many - gosh, he was really overthinking things, wasn't he? He'd just make things more awkward for both of them.

'Cookies,' Gaster signed when he was close enough, stopping to stand in front of his king. He looked up at him, giving a soft smile of his own. 'Would have been rude of me to come empty-handed. You weren't waiting out here long, were you?'

"Gosh, thank you," Asgore said softly, taking the box in his paws and heading inside, holding the door for Gaster. "Oh, no, not long at all!"

Gaster followed Asgore, not trying to make any conversation on the way. It would do them no good if the other was too busy reading his signing to look where he was going. Wouldn't want Asgore bumping into a wall again...

The king led the skeleton into a small, cozy room, with a large window looking outside. There were several couches and chairs, and everything was in warm, gentle colors, browns and reds and beiges. A small table was positioned between the seats, on which a teapot and two cups were set. Asgore set the box of cookies down and smiled.

"It's good you brought these, actually," he said cheerfully. "I didn't think to gather the ingredients to make anything to go with the tea. Ah, it's jasmine tea with chamomile and ginger. Good things for headaches, but not too many ingredients."

Oh, this was a cozy looking room. Gaster entered, long legs taking him past the fluffy boss monster and towards a seat as he listened to him speak. Most of him was listening, but the other part wondered how much Asgore noticed the natural sway of his hips as he walked by. He couldn't just forget that Asgore was interested in him, more in an emotional way, but perhaps sexual attraction was still there on the king's end...

As for Gaster, he'd be lying to himself if he said the king wasn't attractive. He had a thing for taller, broader, stronger men. That's what was on his mind as he took a seat in front of the small table, crossing one leg over the other, posture straight.

'Thank you so much for this.'

Asgore sat on a chair on the opposite side of the table. He poured tea into both of the cups, able to watch Gaster sign while pouring it, due to practice...he'd had to have poured tea thousands and thousands of times. "I should be the one thanking you," he said warmly, pushing one of the mugs toward Gaster. "I've got some sugar and honey, if you want either of those. Honey can be good but it's not as sweet, so..." He poured a generous amount of sugar into his own tea and stirred it. "It's awful nice of you to take time away from your work to visit me."

Gaster lifted the cup to his mouth and took a sip. It was good. Hopefully it really would help with his headaches. They plagued him often, and he was having one at the moment. It probably wouldn't be an issue if he slept more and took time to relax. 

'It's about time I got out of the lab, enjoy life a little, and relax. This tea is delicious, by the way.'

Asgore smiled. "I have plenty; you can take some home with you if you'd like," he offered. He then realized he had no idea what to talk about. He didn't want to just talk about himself, but he didn't really know what to say otherwise. He didn't really want to bring up Gaster's work - he was supposed to be relaxing, after all - but he wasn't sure what else to say. He decided to ask about his health.

"Have you been doing alright lately? Getting enough rest?" he asked, an expression of genuine concern on his furry face.

How truthfully did Gaster want to answer that question?

'I'd probably be dust right now if Sans didn't pester me to rest.' Very truthfully, apparently. His mouth was hidden behind the tea cup as he looked at him and continued to sign with one hand.

'My work is my life. I work throughout the day and night, unless I fall asleep where I'm seated. I know I shouldn't be doing this to myself, but there are so many discoveries to be made, including finding a way to break the barrier.'

Asgore felt like his soul had been grasped roughly and squeezed.

"Gaster," he said gently, quietly, genuine concern apparent in his eyes. "Your rest and good health is important. Not only to me personally, but to your studies. You will not perform as well if you're not resting enough." He sighed softly. "Please, get better rest."

The look in those eyes... God, it made Gaster's soul flutter. He could tell Asgore's concerns were as genuine as genuine could be, and that did things to him.

'I'll catch up on my rest once monsterkind is free.' He took another sip of the tea. His head felt like it would kill him, and he wondered if he looked as tired on the outside as he felt. 'I'll be fine.'

Asgore shook his head firmly. "Rest well. At least a few hours every night," he pressed. "It is probably the reason you are getting all these headaches, too, and tea won't exactly stop them if you are not taking good care of yourself." He blushed softly. "I want you to feel healthy. It's important. L-like I said, you will not get as much work done, or quality work, if you aren't feeling a hundred percent. I am sure Sans would agree with me." He smiled sadly but warmly. "I'm sure I could get him to pester you even more," he added softly with a gentle laugh.

Gaster chuckled without a sound. Asgore grinned at the laugh - he counted that as a victory, albeit a small one.

'He pesters me enough already, I assure you. Thank you for caring about me...' A small pause. 'Asgore.'

He wasn't used to signing ‘Asgore,’ but the other had given him permission earlier to call him by name, so he supposed it was alright. They were taking their relationship in such an unprofessional direction already...

'You're very sweet.'

"'S nothing," he said sheepishly. "Anyone would." He poured both of them a bit more tea. He wasn't sure quite how to interpret or respond to that. "Th-thank you," he mumbled. He was likely making a complete fool of himself. "So are you."

Gaster held his cup out to accept more tea from Asgore before taking another sip. He was beginning to feel more at ease and leaned back in his seat. And as his defenses lowered, he felt his exhaustion beginning to set in. He was always so _tired._

'Me? Sweet? Hardly.'

Asgore smiled widely. "You wouldn't work so hard if you didn't care so much," he purred. He put another spoonful of sugar in his tea, and briefly wondered if Gaster thought that was weird or gross...

He noticed the change in the scientist's body language and his expression changed to one of worry. "Are you alright?" he asked quietly. "You look awful tired..."

Asgore was so sweet, his accusations of Gaster caring making the scientist avert his gaze. It would make him blush to continue looking at him. And then he sounded so worried...

'Being tired is a constant. I'll try not to fall asleep on you.'

He'd try, but he couldn't guarantee anything. He wondered if Asgore would carry him to bed if he did. Hmm...why was he having these kinds of thoughts? Was his heat coming on, or was it just because they were alone and he knew Asgore was interested in him..?

"If you need to rest, you should go home and do so," Asgore insisted. He was increasingly concerned - he hadn't seen this much clear emotion or thought from Gaster before. "You need your rest; you'll be miserable if you're not well rested."

'Trying to get rid of me already?' And in case Asgore took him seriously, he added, 'That's a joke, of course.'

Asgore blinked for a moment and then laughed. He was glad that Gaster was opening up a bit. "I'm sure the tea is making you sleepy, too," he pointed out. "Warm things tend to do that."

Gaster nodded behind his teacup as a few of his tentacles reached out to unwrap and open the box of cookies. It came naturally for him to do so, to use them to pick up and handle things. And with his magic flowing through the robe as it did, those tentacles were essentially an extension of himself. One was bringing a cookie to his mouth when a royal guard stepped into the room carrying a few bottles of...was that wine?

"Sorry to interrupt." The guard placed the bottles of wine and two glasses on the table. He then leaned in and whispered something to the king that Gaster didn't catch, the skeleton raising his brow in curiosity.

"Dates call for wine, King Asgore," is what the monster had whispered to him. "Good luck." Then the guard had hurried out, giggling to himself.

"Th-thank you," Asgore said, in minor shock. He had been momentarily transfixed by the movement of Gaster's tentacles; he had never seen them in use before.

He took a cookie himself and dipped it in his tea before taking a small bite out of it. He eyed the wine. "Do you...want some?" he asked awkwardly. "It's...my favorite, but I don't want any if you don't."

'Did your guard really just bring wine to us?' Gaster munched on one of the cookies as he signed, a sort of amused expression on his face. 'His intent is obvious. But yes, I'll have some. It's been a long while since I took the time to enjoy such things.'

Asgore nodded and poured it into the glasses, filling them about halfway. He still wasn't exactly sure about the proper amounts, since he didn't usually have anyone to drink with.

"A bit strange, isn’t it? Going from tea to alcohol, I mean," he noted quietly and took a sip from his glass. "Not that I am complaining about either."

Gaster set his teacup down on the table before picking up the wine glass with his hand. His tentacles swayed idly, except the one still holding half a cookie near his mouth. Gaster took a sip, and then tilted the glass back further back to down the wine in one go. He gave a soundless sigh, already feeling good just knowing he'd feel the effects of the drink soon enough. As light as he was, it didn't take much to get him buzzed.

'It is, but I'm not complaining either.' He finished off his cookie.

Asgore smiled. "Do you want more?" he offered. "There's plenty."

He was happy the skeleton was relaxing with him. He had wondered whether Gaster had offered to visit just so he wouldn't feel bad, but he seemed to be enjoying himself.

'Please.' Gaster rested his elbow on his knee and his chin on his palm as he leaned forward and held the empty wine glass out for more. He still had a little smile on his face and his magic was beginning to feel warmer, something the king wouldn't be able to feel with how closely to himself Gaster held his magic.

Asgore smiled back at him and filled Gaster’s glass a bit more than he had the first time. He was still working on his own. It must've been convenient to have...however many tentacles Gaster had. He just had his two paws, which admittedly weren't very dexterous.

"I'm so glad you are having a good time," he said softly.

One of Gaster's legs crossed over the other and slowly swayed as he drank the wine. Despite the guard's obvious intent to get Asgore laid, Gaster was still smiling, his gaze a little hazy now as he continued resting his chin on his palm. Since both hands were occupied he didn't sign, just stared at the king while he became increasingly buzzed.

Asgore blushed brightly, pale orange magic glowing from beneath his cheeks, and looked to the side. He didn't want to interpret anything to be the way he wanted, but...there was no way that look didn't convey some sort of affection. He took another sip of his wine and stayed silent, just sort of sitting there, staring back at Gaster, until his phone buzzed. He flinched, the feeling of a vibration against his leg startling him.

"Forgive me for being rude, but this might be important," he huffed. He unlocked his phone and opened the text. A message from Sans..? What could the little skeleton possibly want at this hour?

'hey fluffybuns hows your date with b0ss goin'

He sighed and texted back. 'Sorry to disappoint, Sans, but this is in no way a date.'

Gaster watched as Asgore pulled out his phone. He was a tad curious, but wasn't planning on mentioning it as he drank his wine. He was more focused on the way the other had blushed and looked away. He found it to be adorable, one of his tentacles absentmindedly curling around his own leg as he thought about it.

Asgore looked back up at Gaster apologetically. "Sorry," he apologized. "Sans is, as usual, not minding his own business." He grinned and then blushed again as he noticed the tentacle around Gaster's leg.

He removed his palm from his chin so he could sign. 'Sans? Really?' And then his own phone buzzed. He sat up straight as he pulled his phone out and checked the text to see...

'hey b0ss has he fucked you yet'

And then, ‘how big is his dick? bet that things huge lol’

_Oh my god, Sans._

Gaster's body shook with brief mute laughter. He eagerly gulped down the rest of his wine before setting the glass down so he could properly type up a reply with both thumbs.

'Sans please im too tipsy for this. why would you even say that'

Gaster cared less for typing perfectly with wine in his system. The message was sent, anyway.

He looked up at Asgore, pointed to his own phone, and then signed, 'Sans.'

Asgore nodded, smiling when he saw Gaster laugh again. His soul fluttered in his chest, and butterflies danced in his stomach.

'tipsy? whats big goat daddy givin you?' Sans would've shit himself, had he possessed a digestive system. He tried his best not to burst into laughter; little Papyrus would want to know what he was laughing so hard about.

"What did he say?" Asgore asked curiously. _I want to know anything that makes you laugh,_ he thought to himself.

'You want to know what he said..?' Gaster signed to Asgore. 'I think it would make you blush.'

He then typed to Sans, 'One of the guards brought us wine. I don't think Asgore was expecting that. at all. the guard obviously wants to get him laid'

Asgore looked away, a shy smile on his lips. "Would it? Why don't you tell me, then, see if it does?" he asked softly and looked back, waiting for a reply.

'ohhh my god even the guard knows you guys are hot for each other. im dying. youre gonna have to find a new assistant. tell papyrus i love him'

Gaster grinned. 'He asked me if you've fucked me yet. I told you he seems to like the idea of us together. Also - he is apparently curious as to exactly...how should I say this...hmm, exactly how endowed you are.’

He was pouring himself more wine as he signed, going about the task with his tentacles. By the time he was done signing he had his third glass of wine to his mouth, sipping as his shoulders moved with another silent laugh.

Asgore's eyes widened, unsure what to think. This night was...not going the way he'd expected it to. At all. "Well...I guess he's not the only one, considering we were brought wine in the first place. And I think that is a common thought, c-considering my size." He paused and chuckled, a light dusting of orange once again coloring his cheeks. "What did you tell him?"

'I di d n't tel l hi m ye s, if tha t's w h at yo u'r e as k i ng, an d, w ell...i d on’t k no w t he a n swe r t o th at.' 

The wine was beginning to affect the way he signed, making him slower at it, but Gaster didn't seem to care. He was actually pretty happy right now, even though he still had a headache. And warm. Really, really warm. He wondered if Asgore was warm, too...

'Asg o re, I hav e n 't bee n th is re l a xe d in mont hs.'

Asgore laughed softly and smiled. He poured himself another glass, deciding he'd enjoy it with Gaster rather than without. "I'm happy you are; it's really nice...seeing you like this. You look so - happy." He stopped himself from saying...whatever might've come out of his mouth. Cute, beautiful, sweet, whatever. He didn't want to ruin the good time they were having by flirting.

Gaster blushed purple. 'A nd yo u, my fr ie nd, d o n't lo ok dru nk en o ug h.' 

Tired. Happy. Slightly dizzy. Warm. He set his half-empty glass back down on the table.

'Yo u sh...' He was beginning to doze off, the time between symbols increasing. 'o...u...l...d... S...n...u...g...g...l...'

And then he was out, eyes closed and shoulders slumped as he fell asleep where he sat.

Asgore blinked, wondering if he had read those symbols correctly. He considered doing just that, stars knew he did, but wondered if Gaster would wake up having no idea he'd made the suggestion. He just continued to drink, trying not to stare too much at Gaster.

He pulled his phone back out and texted Sans.

'He fell asleep.'

'youre just that boring huh. wouldnta thunk it'

He rolled his eyes. 'I just think the alcohol decreased his motivation to stay awake.'

'whatcha gonna do now?' Sans considered adding 'jack off over his limp body?' but even he didn't want to disrespect his king that much. He probably wouldn't say that to anyone, actually. He loved joking, sure, but he wouldn't insinuate things like that.

'Hmm. I'm...not sure, actually. I'm torn between waiting for him to wake up and having him taken home.'

'you should just find a place for him to sleep in the castle lol, im sure theres a lot of comfy stuff in there'

'Yeah, you're probably right.' He put his phone away and took another drink before setting it down. He didn't like leaving a mess for the guards to clean up, but he figured if it was the same guard, he certainly wouldn't mind.

He took a moment to think. He didn't really want to call a guard to take him to a bed, but... He sighed. He didn't think Gaster would exactly be upset at Asgore for taking him somewhere comfortable to sleep...

He walked over to the skeleton and picked him up ever so slowly, ever so gently. He tried his best not to focus on the fact that the monster he had feelings for was literally passed out in his arms.

He carried him to a guest bedroom nearby and laid him in the bed there, pulling a blanket over him before leaving the room and retreating to his own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, Sans saying 'b0ss' is a reference to Filthy Frank / Pink Guy. #noregerts


	6. You're Leaving?  Uh, Here, Have this Cactus

Gaster slowly drifted from sleep to rejoin the world of the living, slowly becoming aware of his surroundings. The bed beneath him was soft, much more comfortable than his cot... Wait a minute...

He jolted awake when he realized he wasn't at the lab, sitting up quickly, the light of his left eye socket glowing purple with magic. He was on the defense, frantic for a moment that felt like it lasted forever, until he remembered where he was. This was Asgore's castle, wasn't it? He thought back to yesterday, the last thing he remembered feeling warm, giddy, and pleasantly tipsy. He'd fallen asleep in that chair, hadn't he? Asgore probably carried him here to this room to rest after that.

Gaster gave a silent sigh and lay back on the pillow, the magic in his eye socket fading as the panic left him. Everything was fine. He was fine! Still a little warm for some reason, but fine...

He pulled out his phone and checked the time. Late for work. How wonderful. At least he got a good night's rest and didn't have any superiors to scold him for his tardiness. And the other scientists wouldn't be upset that he was a few hours late - after all, if they didn't have something to do and no boss around to point them in the direction of their next task, they got to be on break and do nothing,

He looked at his last text from Sans and reread it.

'ohhh my god even the guard knows you guys are hot for each other. im dying. youre gonna have to find a new assistant. tell papyrus i love him'

_Pft..._

'I probably made a fool of myself last night. It doesn't take much wine to do me in. Also - please don't die. I'd miss you greatly.'

He sent the text before bringing the back of his palm to forehead. It would probably be best to speak to Asgore before setting off the lab, to thank him for carrying him to bed and for the tea last night too. He got up and set off to find him.

===

Sans was asleep at his desk, taking advantage of Gaster's absence, when his phone buzzed in his pocket and jolted him awake. He snorted at the text he received.

'haha, im sure even if you did, fluffybuns thought it was cute. and im still here, so you dont gotta worry.'

He yawned and almost immediately fell back asleep.

===

Asgore was up and about already, sitting in one of his greenhouse rooms and tending to his plants. This particular room housed succulents and cacti, so they didn't require much water, but he loved to be around them anyway. He closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath, enjoying the slightly green scent in the air.

His thoughts wandered to the previous night. Gaster had looked so peaceful in his sleep. He wondered if the scientist was still in the castle... He became slightly worried, wondering if Gaster thought the king would think lowly of him for drinking too much and falling asleep. He pulled his phone out of his pocket to message him.

'How are you feeling today? :o) I hope you had a good time yesterday.' He had typed 'last night' but decided that sounded too...intimate, and replaced it with 'yesterday.'

Gaster didn't want to text while he walked. He'd text Sans back later, after he thanked Asgore, not realizing that the king had texted him too. One of the guards he found in the hall escorted him to the greenhouse Asgore was tending to. How nice of them. The sound of heels as he entered the room would have alerted the king to his presence immediately.

Asgore's face lit up when he heard Gaster come in. He straightened up from his position bent over a cactus and grinned at the skeleton. "You're still here," he pointed out gleefully. "Did you sleep okay?"

'Better than I have in a long while.'

Gaster walked farther into the room, letting his gaze wander over all the plants.

'I wanted to thank you before I left for the lab.' He returned his gaze to Asgore. 'For the tea, and for carrying me to bed. I'm assuming it was you who had done so.'

Asgore's face heated up and his cheeks glowed faintly with orange magic. "You are very welcome," he said softly. "And yes, it was me. I was very torn between waking you up to go home and having a guard escort you somewhere, but your helpful assistant suggested taking you to a guest room myself." He chuckled lowly. "I am glad you slept well, Gaster. You are certainly welcome to stay here anytime." He coughed awkwardly after realizing the insinuations of his words. He looked back to the cactus he was standing over.

"Maybe you should take one of these with you," he offered. "Really helps the air. Makes you feel better."

Sans' suggestion? Gaster wasn't sure what to think about that as he pondered the reasoning for Asgore's initial indecisiveness. The king had wanted him here. If Asgore sent him home, would it have been because he was just that...shy? Shy to have Gaster sleeping here? Was that the case?

The only things he was sure of were how touching it was that Sans looked out for him, and that Asgore was a dork who might possibly have a more difficult time with social situations than himself. At least it was better than being around someone who was too eager, not counting Sans. With Sans, it was just flattering.

'If you insist. It would look cute in my office, I think, but I really must be going. I'm late for work.'

Asgore's eyes widened. "Oh, I'm sorry!" he said somewhat frantically. "Um, here - take this one." He grabbed a small cactus in a clay pot. "They don't really need watered that often, so you won't have to pay much mind to it." He extended the gift to Gaster with a warm smile.

He delicately took the pot from Asgore's hands, a finger brushing against the other's as he did so. He took a moment to look at the plant before hugging the pot to his chest a little, feeling appreciative. 

'Thank you.' If he could speak out loud there would have been shyness in his voice. And...oh goodness, why was he feeling so warm still? It was getting worse progressively... _Oh._

'Off I go. Next time I won't fall asleep on you.' He gave a polite smile before heading out the door. He passed close by the guard on his way out, the other monster's ears perking up as he passed. There was no doubt in Gaster's mind of what the guard had felt in his magic in that brief moment.

Asgore watched with an affectionate smile as Gaster left. There was finally some semblance of hope and happiness in his life, after so long of feeling lost.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)


	7. Asgore Can't Deny Jack Shit Now

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The last portion of this chapter is actually something I already have up lmao, the "Shameful" thingy. So uh...here's the context I guess!

Sans made his way to Gaster's office. It wasn't very often he asked Sans to meet him like this, and considering recent events, the younger skeleton was somewhat worried.

He knocked on the door loudly. "Gaster? 'S it cool if I come in?"

With no way to reply verbally, Gaster conjured up an extra hand at the office's doorknob, opening the door for Sans before it disappeared, It would be obvious at first glance that something was different about Gaster at the moment. His face was flushed. His tentacles appeared longer than they usually did, a result of how one's magic could be more difficult to control during heat. It was more difficult for him to keep his magic contained too. Sans was still too far away to feel it, but he wouldn't need to get so close that he had to touch him to feel his magic at the moment.

'There you are.' Gaster straightened up in his seat. 'Don't worry, you're not in trouble with your boss or anything like that.'

Sans stepped into the room and stood in front of Gaster's desk. "Umm...you okay, bro?" he asked warily. "You look a little...uh..." He tried to come up with some sort of pun, but his genuine worry prevented him from it.

He studied Gaster for a moment, taking in all the details he could. "Umm...are you...?" He shoved his hands in his pockets, face flushing dark cyan. His instincts told him to look away, but he had to wait for his boss' reply.

'I'm in heat, Sans. I don't think I can...do much outside my office until it’s over, so if you could take over for me, I’d really appreciate it.’

“O-oh, uh...yeah, okay. Sure thing, boss,” Sans said nervously. “Um...is it okay if I...go now..?”

Gaster nodded. ‘Yes, of course. I apologize for making you uncomfortable, Sans.’

“Don’t worry ‘bout it.”

===

'How are you today? :o) I would certainly enjoy it if you visited sometime soon.'

Asgore was admittedly nervous, but he always was when it came to Gaster. He sent the text and placed his phone in the pocket of his shorts. On days he didn't have anywhere to be, he'd prefer to just wear his pajamas all day, but he didn't want his guards to think he was lazy.

'I can't this week.' Was the royal scientist's short reply.

Asgore had to force himself not to panic. He trusted that Gaster would tell him if he didn't want to visit at all, but he was still worried.

'Are you alright?'

Gaster really didn't want to admit to the king that he was in heat. 'Nothing to worry about. I'm just a tad ill, is all. Plus we're all busy here at the lab.'

"Oh...Would you want me to bring you some tea? I...stocked up on some for you to try, so I probably have something that would help with whatever you're sick with.'

He was a bit embarrassed to admit that he'd gotten the tea...he'd at least pretend he hadn't gotten so much. He would act like he'd bought a little at a time...He was thinking way too hard about this.

'Today?'

Asgore didn't mean _today,_ did he? Gaster already felt uneasy.

'I suppose, yes. If you want it, I'll prepare some for you now. Do you know what you're sick with or is it just a general feeling?'

Gaster knew exactly what he was sick with.

'No, that's alright. I'll be alright. You don't have to go out of your way for me. And it's just a cold, I think.'

'Alright, but I think you'd feel a lot better with some tea. Just let me know if you change your mind :o)'

Asgore sent a smiley face, but that was certainly not how he felt. He was a little miffed that Gaster would write him off like that, but it wasn't unusual for him to deny help. He was tempted to take some tea to him anyway, but he wasn't sure if it'd flatter Gaster or just annoy him.

'Will do. Thank you.'

===

Asgore made his way to the lab with a small box full of tea. He had debated for a long while whether to come or not, but decided it might be good for him to do something nice for Gaster. If anything, he could give the tea he’d prepared to Sans if Gaster was too busy to meet with him.

Once he arrived, he didn't immediately see either of the skeletons, so he asked one of the monsters that was working near the entrance, “Do you know where Dr. Gaster is?”

“I haven’t seen him today,” the monster replied. “Sans is here, though, if you want to leave a message with him.”

The king nodded, and made his way to the lounge, where the monster had told him Sans was currently taking a break.

“Hello, Sans,” he said with a warm smile.

Sans nearly jumped out of his skin; he had been very focused on some sort of game on his phone, and he was already on edge from running the lab all day, and from trying not to think about Gaster too much. “Hey. What...uh." He scratched the back of his neck and nodded toward the box in Asgore’s paws. "What's that..?"

"I brought some tea for Gaster. He said he had a cold, but I'm really worried. I think he played it down... Is he alright?"

Sans sighed. "He's...he'll be fine, Asgore. I'll make sure to give it to him."

The king still looked concerned. "Are you...are you okay, Sans? I've never seen you like this."

Sans wanted to scream. He just wanted Asgore to _leave._ "I'll be fine, I swear."

Asgore frowned. He hated to pull the "I'm the king" thing, but he felt lied to. Well, he knew he was being lied to.

"Both of you are lying to me, and I'm very concerned." He tried his best to seem imposing, but he knew Sans wouldn't buy it.

"He...wouldn't want me to tell you. And I'm a shit liar, so he'd know I told you." Sans coughed nervously. "Sorry for the language."

Asgore ignored it. "Sans, he can complain to me. Now tell me what's going on."

Sans sighed, resigned to his inevitable death. "He's...in heat, Asgore. Please, please just ignore it. He's tried his best to hide it, and he'll freak the f- he'll freak out if you see him like that. He doesn't like seeing _himself_ like that." He placed his hand on his forehead. "He's going to kill me."

Asgore blinked, not processing the words for a few moments. He felt a little offended that he wasn't trusted with the information, but he could understand the reasoning. "I… Golly, I'm sorry. I-I shouldn't have come."

Sans shook his head. "You meant well." He sighed. "I think he'll appreciate the thought, at least."

Asgore pushed the tea into Sans' hands and left without saying anything else. He felt a lot of things, but mostly just stupid.

===

Gaster walked towards the throne room, the click of his heels on the tiled floors echoing in the large hallway. He wondered if Asgore would know immediately who the source of the noise was, or if perhaps there were other monsters who walked these halls in heels. Were royal guards allowed to wear heels? Well... it wasn't as if only royal guards frequented the castle. He stepped into the throne room.

Asgore looked up; he wouldn't have if he didn't have to to 'hear' Gaster speak. His face glowed red and he looked like he could cry. "I...apologize, Gaster. My naivety got the better of me. Again."

'I don't understand what you're trying to express. Naive in what regard?' the skeleton signed before stepping a little further into the room, stopping in front of the bed of flowers he always took care not to trample on.

"In...thinking you would be held up so bad due to a cold." Asgore watched him step closer. "You can walk in them, if you want. I don't mind. I know you're careful."

'I didn't lie out of malicious intent. Surely you realize this.' Gaster didn't make a single step closer, not because of the flowers, but mainly because he didn't want to get close enough for Asgore to feel him in heat. He wasn't able to hold his magic as close to him as usual.

"N-no, that's not what I meant." He chewed on his lip nervously. "If...you don't mind my asking, why are you here?"

'I wanted to make sure you were okay. And that we're okay.' He would have emphasized the word 'we're' if that were possible through sign language. 'I don't like knowing you might be upset at me.'

"Of course I'm not upset," Asgore said rather sadly. "If anything, I'm upset with myself for ignoring your wishes." He debated whether or not he should stand to be on a similar level to Gaster, but decided against it. He didn't want to give the impression he was trying to be threatening.

Oh... Well, that was certainly not how Gaster had imagined the conversation going. He had been fully prepared to get snippy if Asgore insisted he should have told him about his heat. The scientist was taken aback. The king always had a way of surprising him with his sweetness. He needed a moment to collect his thoughts.

'It's fine. I know you were worried about me. I appreciate it.'

"You do?" Asgore said, a strange expression on his face. It was somewhere between sad and happy. "I'm...glad. I was so afraid you wouldn't...want anything to do with me." He paused for a moment. "I hope you don't think that I had...immoral intentions."

Immoral intentions? 

Gaster was already in heat, using every bit of his willpower to ignore how hot and needy he felt, and to keep it from showing on his face and keep his magic as close to himself as possible, but even the thought of Asgore trying to have a go at him made him lose his grip on his magic, broadcasting for a brief moment just how aroused he was. To Gaster's credit, his expression remained the same, though he was finding it difficult to look the king in the eyes.

'No, I didn't.'

"That's good." Asgore was incredibly uncomfortable. He was...unsure what to think. Was he trying to ask...? As far as he knew, Gaster had not received any help, and he knew how miserable that could be. The nervousness in his magic overpowered any arousal he might've felt. "M-maybe you should...um...leave..." He rubbed one of his ears anxiously. "That sounds rude, I know, but um...you know."

Wow. He'd never gotten that response to being in heat before. It was surprising, and Gaster wasn't sure what to make of it, but he wasn't angry or offended.

'Yeah. Sorry you had to feel that. As I'm sure you know, it's harder to keep a grip on one's magic while in heat. I'll see myself out.'

Asgore nodded. He certainly didn't want this. He waved weakly. "I won't bother you again. Just...let me know when...you know. When you um...when you're up for talking again."

Gaster nodded and then began to turn to leave, but stopped partway through his turn. His gaze moved back to Asgore, examining him, trying to figure out why he was so nervous. His stare lingered for a moment before he signed again.

'Sure.'

Asgore felt hot under Gaster's scrutinizing glare. He smiled nervously and gave another wave. "Um...good luck."

===

Over the next few days, Asgore tried his best to shove thoughts of Gaster's heat to the back of his mind. As time went on - it felt like twice as slowly - it got more and more of a challenge to ignore.

With a look of terrible shame that caused his guards a lot of confusion, he instructed them to leave him be for the next couple of days. He retreated to his quarters earlier than usual and changed into pajamas. He was going to try to sleep, but he knew it wasn't going to happen.

He sighed. He hadn't done this in a long time. And certainly not to thoughts of his royal scientist. What did his face look like, when he wasn't masking his heat? He closed his eyes and let out a shaky breath. Did his bones heat up? How did that even work? He tried to imagine what a skeleton's heat could possibly entail. He thought for a moment about asking Sans, but he figured he'd already made the poor little scientist flustered enough.  
He laid back against the headboard of his bed. This always made him feel so shameful. He tried to resist the urge to shove his paw between his legs, but the more he tried, the stronger the urge got.

He felt like he was the one in heat.

He finally succumbed to the sensations and held back a breathy moan. He sighed softly and palmed his growing erection. His head tilted back and he involuntarily rutted into his paw with a quiet whine. He tried his best not to imagine it was Gaster's hand on him, but his resolve was getting weaker and weaker. He found himself wishing he knew more about the physicality of skeletons; he wasn't sure what he should even be imagining.

He paused for a moment, feeling incredibly dirty. He tried to tell himself this was a normal response, but he still felt guilty.  
His climax neared a little too quickly, which he berated himself for. He let himself zone out as he came with a loud cry.

He didn't sleep very well.


	8. What Would You Do If I Was Here ;)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THE REAL SMUT STARTS HERE. ENJOY

Gaster was doing what he usually did while in heat: ignoring it, trying to push it from his mind and focus on his work despite the ache and the yearning, the way it made his hands unsteady. He hated this.

At least he was alone right now, late at night as it was. The other scientists had gone home, leaving Gaster alone in the lab. It wasn't uncommon for the royal scientist to work throughout the night when all else had left. He enjoyed the solitude. Right now he appreciated it even more. No one was here to see him drop to his knees in front of the incomplete Determination Extractor Machine. No one saw the way he hugged himself and shuddered, eye socket closed halfway, face flushed dark purple.

He ached, and ached, and needed something to make it stop. Or a distraction. Something! Anything - but he couldn't focus on his work at all.

===

Asgore was completely ridden with guilt, not only for his actions of the night after Gaster had visited, but also for the way he had told him to leave. He usually felt at least somewhat at peace among his plants, but currently he just felt like he was giving them bad energy. He decided he would retreat to somewhere plant-less, and found himself in one of his parlors, quite similar to the one he and Gaster had spent time in.

He pulled out his phone, which had quite a few notifications, most of which were things his subjects had tagged him in on social media. He smiled, always happy that they thought of him. He opened up his text messages and took a deep breath.

'Gaster...I am deeply sorry for the way I dismissed you the other day. I could have and should have handled that better.

‘Please feel free to visit anytime you like. I just...don't want to make a fool of myself. Or make you think...that I am something I'm not.'

He paused and wondered if that was a lie. He knew he wouldn't act on things. He wouldn't advance on Gaster. But he did...think of him. The stars _knew_ he thought of him.

He sighed, and continued writing.

'Don't feel like you have to stay away from me. I'm sorry for giving that impression. I hope you can forgive me.'

===

Gaster was sitting on the tiled floor of the lab with his back against the machine now, knees pressed together, hands clenched. He was beginning to fantasize, knees moving apart now as he imagined someone else's hands prying them open.

The monster in his fantasy was undefined. He didn't have anyone in specific in mind, but they were large and broad, something that Gaster had always found attractive.

His phone buzzed, almost going unnoticed in favor of his daydream, but enough of himself was still rooted to reality for him to fish out his phone. A text from Asgore?

The hands in his fantasy, the large hands gripping his knees, now possessed white fur.

Gaster read over the texts.

'There's nothing to forgive. I'm just sorry that my heat made things awkward. I'm usually much better at controlling my magic, keeping it to myself for no one else to feel.'

Thank goodness his current desperation didn't bleed into his texts.

'Wanting to avoid being exposed to that kind of magic is completely understandable.'

But...hmm...that one bit Asgore wrote. Not wanting to make a fool of himself? How would he do that in association to Gaster's heat? He didn't actually have risqué thoughts and urges towards his scientist, did he? The thought made the skeleton shudder again, a jolt of arousal coursing through him like electricity. 

Ooh, he just had to ask..

'Why, though, do you feel like you might have made a fool of yourself if I had stayed longer? Is this in relation to my heat? I got the impression you weren't interested in me in that way.'

Asgore took in a sharp, deep breath. His blunt honesty, and tendency not to catch what he had said, had gotten the best of him once again.

'I didn't think that at first either. I definitely never had feelings like that before I felt that from you. I hope that doesn't bother you. I don't want things between us to go badly, but I also don't want to keep anything from you.'

He set his phone down on the coffee table in front of him and started messing with his ear, hoping he hadn't screwed things up beyond repair.

Did it bother him? Gaster wasn't sure. He knew what his body wanted right now, further excited knowing Asgore was sexually interested in him, but how would he feel when not under a shroud of unwanted lust?

'I don't think I'm opposed to the idea...at least not right now. I'm still in heat, as I'm sure you realize. I almost wish I wasn't alone right now.' 

He pressed ‘send’ and immediately regretted it. God, why did he type that? It reminded him of some horny teen texting their significant other "My parents are gone. Wanna come over?"

Asgore's face and soul heated up at that message. He wasn't really sure what to say. What did Gaster want him to say?

'Yes, I'm sure. Heat is always more bearable with help.'

That was...vague enough, right?

Gaster stared at the text, feeling incredibly nervous with where this conversation was heading. He imagined Asgore stepping through the door, approaching him with the intent of fucking him silly. Or...no, Asgore wouldn't 'fuck'. He'd 'make love.' Probably. The king was so, so sweet. It was difficult to imagine him being anything but gentle even in bed.

The Asgore in his daydream was at his neck, giving it such loving attention as hands wandered down his rib cage and spine.

To think that could actually become a reality, though being touched in reality was also...nerve wracking.

'I want it to stop. I can't think straight. I feel so hot and uncomfortable. I can't focus on my work.'

Asgore jumped at the sound of his text tone. He opened the text and shuddered at what he read. Yes, of course Gaster was still thinking of his work. He breathed out a shaky sigh.

'Gaster...please do not continue speaking like this if you do not have the intent of making me...feel things. I don't want to assume anything...'

He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, suddenly much too hot in his shirt. He resisted the urge to paw at the growing tent in his shorts, at least for the moment.

'I think I want you to help me..'

Asgore's breath hitched in his throat. The situation...didn't feel real. He wondered just how much Gaster's heat was clouding his thoughts.

'Are you sure? I...don't want you regretting anything. I have no qualms with it, but I want you to make sure you won't regret it once your heat is over.'

He leaned back on the couch and sighed, running his hand through his hair. He felt a bit fearful of the end of Gaster's heat. His thoughts started to race. What if he wasn't good enough? What if his nerves got the best of him and he chickened out? What if he got there and Gaster had decided against it and he had to do the walk of shame back home?

He received another text, and opened it hesitantly, unsure what he was about to read.

'I'm nervous, I'll admit. Incredibly nervous, but I think I want to try it with you.

'You'd be gentle with me, wouldn't you? You're always so gentle with everything you do. Gentle, kind, loving; I can't stop thinking of your hands on me. You're so strong, and so much bigger than me. You could easily overpower me, but you wouldn't hurt me. Those strong hands as gentle with me as a feather. That's what I'm imagining and it's driving me mad.'

'I would certainly be gentle, if that's what you would want.'

Asgore paused, unsure of what to write next. He was equal parts flattered, flustered, and incredibly aroused. Gaster was fantasizing about him.

'If you want, I could certainly make my way to wherever you are.'

He closed his eyes for a moment, breathing deeply, attempting to calm himself.

'Please, do not forget the feelings I have for you. I will try my best not to let them complicate things, but I cannot guarantee that.'

He stood and tried to collect himself. He made his way through the castle toward the exit. He stayed inside as he waited for an answer, shifting from paw to paw nervously. He still couldn't believe this was happening.

'You know where I am. The lab. Though this is a rather large facility...I'll wait just inside the entrance if you're actually coming over.

'And.. um.. I haven't forgotten about your feelings for me. I'm sorry. I'm probably being very selfish right now.'

'You're in heat. Wanting help is in no way selfish.

'I will be there soon, Gaster.'

He left quickly, trying not to appear frantic. He notified his guards at the door of his castle that he wasn't sure when he would be back, but it was nothing to worry about.

He made his way to the lab, wondering the whole way if Gaster would see him and change his mind. He reached it, finally, and hesitated once he was at the entrance. Should he...knock? Just walk in? He decided it would be best to just let himself in.

Stars, he was nervous.

He opened the door and walked inside, unsure of what was about to transpire.

Gaster had texted a 'Thank you.' before making his way to the entrance of the lab. The wait was agonizing, both in body and in mind, body impatient and thoughts running rampant with doubts and past fears that continued following him throughout the years. He was still afraid of being touched even though his body was currently begging for it. He leaned back in his chair, sighing inwardly.

When the door finally opened, Gaster jumped a little in his seat before straightening his posture. There he was, that big strong monster he'd been thinking about, here to help relieve him. Oh, dear...

Gaster stood, soul beating quickly as he looked at his king. The skeleton's magic was strong, being such a high level monster. He knew when others felt it while he was in heat; it could feel a little...overwhelming sometimes, though at the moment he was managing to keep it close enough to himself that the other wouldn't feel it yet - not until he came closer.

Shyly he averted his gaze, simultaneously wanting to jump him, yet also wanting to stay where he was, too flustered to act just yet.

"H-howdy," Asgore said softly, unsure of where to start. He cleared his throat nervously. "Is- is there somewhere we should...move to?"

He felt much more nervous now than when he was apart from Gaster. "I don't want you to feel like- like you have to do anything. Uhm...well, I suppose technically you do, um, or you'll keep being in pain..." He played with his ear, forcing himself to keep his gaze on the scientist as he waited for his answer.

Gaster’s gaze returned to the king, noticing how the king was fiddling with his ear in a nervous display. It was...cute. For whatever reason, knowing Asgore was nervous about this too helped alleviate his own worries, if only a little bit.

Gaster stepped towards him, each step accompanied by the sound of heels upon the floor. He was close enough now that Asgore could feel the magic pervading the air around him, heavy with arousal. For all this lust, Gaster was doing an excellent job at keeping himself contained.

He stopped in front of Asgore, unsure if he should sign something or move closer still. He really didn't know what to say. A greeting, maybe? Thanks for stopping by? No, he'd skip the greeting, instead separating the distance between them entirely, pressing himself against Asgore's front with a mute sigh.

Asgore let out a soft squeak. His breathing quickly became deep and heavy, and he was nearly overwhelmed by the intensity of the arousal surrounding him. He tentatively placed his arms around Gaster and gently pulled him closer. His face and soul burned; the knowledge that Gaster surely felt his dick pressing against him making him feel both embarrassed and heated. He wasn't quite sure what to do. He wanted to wait for Gaster to make a move, but wondered if he even would.

"What...what do you um, like?" he asked quietly. He rested his chin on top of Gaster's skull. "I want to make this the best I can for you..."

What does he like? Was Asgore asking him his kinks, or simply how he'd like to be taken? Probably the latter. Gaster knew a way he could answer that…

He repositioned himself, turning around so his back was pressed against the king's front. White eyelight flashed purple as magic took shape inside his pants. Then he took one of those large paws with both of his own hands, gently guiding it where he wanted it to go, slipping those fuzzy fingers inside his pants, making sure they felt the lips of the wet opening he'd conjured. Gaster quivered against him.

Asgore closed his eyes tightly, content with letting Gaster guide him. He tried to keep his paws from shaking as he gently rubbed at the skeleton's magic.

"L-let me know if...um...if my claws...feel bad..." His breath kept hitching in his throat, and he felt like his soul was going to shatter on the spot.

He slowly became more confident in his movements, and after a few moments, he pushed a finger inside. His other paw rested gently against Gaster's hip, and he used it to steady the both of them. He bit his bottom lip; he wanted badly to tell Gaster how much he'd wanted this, how amazing this was, how lovely he felt against him...but he didn't want to spoil the mood, so he kept his mouth shut for the moment.

"Tell...hah, tell me if it's too much."

Gaster felt heavenly as Asgore rubbed his aching need, quickly soaking the fur of the king's fingers. Gaster was so sensitive, so even this felt like it was too much, but he wanted more. He opened his mouth in a silent gasp at the feeling of a finger pushing inside. He hugged Asgore's arm and twitched his hips, magic clenching around those fingers, tentacles snaking up the other's legs.

Asgore shuddered at the feeling of those appendages - that admittedly he'd forgotten about - touching him like that. He dipped down and licked the side of Gaster's jaw, rubbing at his hip while his finger worked him. He slowly thrust it into him, suddenly hyper-aware of their size difference. He was aware of the fact that most heats would not subside without penetration, and he wondered if Gaster would even be able to handle him. He shoved that thought to the side for the moment, trying hard to focus on the pleasure of the moment.

He wished he was good at dirty talking, or at least confident enough to say what he wanted to.

"You...you feel...really good," he said quietly, becoming a little more forceful with the movements of his paw.

If he wasn't mute, if his magic broadcast his voice properly, then Asgore would have heard all of Gaster's breathy little gasps. He would have heard the 'Oh god, yes' as Asgore put a little more force into the actions of his fingers and paw.

But he couldn't hear it, and Gaster wanted him to know how good this felt. He lifted an arm, loosely hooking it around Asgore's head, fingers resting on a horn as he nuzzled the side of Asgore's face while the other's head was still by his own.

And, wow, he could feel that thick bulge against the back of his spine. It made him doubt himself, unsure if he'd try to back out once that cock was before his vision. The last time he'd been penetrated was...not a good experience. The last time, he'd been penetrated by another monster and not his own slithering appendages or the toys he owned.

As for what the other was doing right now - Gaster wasn't going to stop him. It felt incredible. Asgore's fingers were so much thicker than his own. That, and how sensitive he was thanks to his heat, made him feel like he'd come soon from just this.

A tongue formed in his mouth. He closed his eye socket as he clenched and unclenched around Asgore's finger.

"Oh, d-dear," Asgore squeaked, involuntarily rutting against Gaster's back. "Sorry, ahn..."

He teased another finger at Gaster's entrance. After a few moments he pushed it in beside his forefinger and thrust them gently at first. He gained speed and forcefulness faster this time, mainly due to his own arousal.

"Hah, you have...n-no idea what you're...doing to me," he moaned softly. "You feel...so good and...t-tight around my f-fingers..." His face flushed brightly, unused to saying such lewd things.

Gaster could feel himself stretch to accommodate the second finger that slipped inside and quivered with pleasure as they thrust. He buried his face against Asgore's neck, gripping at one of those horns to help root himself to reality. He felt like he might slip away from it otherwise, losing himself in all of this.

And he'd never heard Asgore talk like that before... It brought him over the edge, arching his back, mouth agape as he came around the king's fingers, letting out a cry which he knew would go unheard.

Asgore rocked slowly against Gaster through his climax, gently nuzzling against the side of his skull. "Yes, good..." he purred, breath heavy against him.

When his orgasm finally passed, Gaster was left feeling wonderful, though weak, leaning back against the bigger monster while panting heavily. He felt like he would fall if he didn't have Asgore to lean on.

The slowly pulled his fingers out, careful not to cause too much friction against his oversensitive walls.

"Is there...s-somewhere we can move where you can l-lay down?" he asked and looked around, vision somewhat hazy. "I-if your heats are a-anything like...like mine, um, it'll be best to move somewhere m-more comfortable..."

Gaster already missed having something inside him, but he didn't complain. In fact, he didn't do much of anything for a couple of moments, needing some time to recover. Then he took a step away from Asgore, though only so he could sign. Goodness, his legs felt weak. He wanted to lean on him again.

'There's a couch in the lounge.'

"Okay," Asgore said shakily. He closed the space between them, somehow still incredibly nervous, and scooped Gaster up almost effortlessly into his arms. He was thankful he remembered where the lounge was from his previous visit.

It came as a surprise to Gaster when he was lifted. Somehow this made him more nervous than being fingered from behind, or maybe it was just because his mind was a little clearer now after his orgasm - clear enough to remember his fears, though Asgore was being so gentle with him. It was kind of nice, actually, being held like this. It almost made him feel safe.

Such conflicting emotions; his usual fear of touch, lust, and the feeling of safety that came with the knowledge this monster carrying him with his strong arms loved him. Gaster knew his king would protect him with his life if it ever came to that. Any fear that lingered was irrational, at least when it came to this man. 

Gaster smiled a little, a hand delicately resting on the other's chest as he was carried to the lounge.

They arrived there after what seemed like ages, the king letting Gaster down gently onto the aforementioned couch. He stood there for a moment, half admiring and half panicking, before kneeling between the scientist's legs. He pulled his thighs up gently and let his paws rest underneath them. Looking up at Gaster with gentle concern, he asked, "Are you...ready to, um, continue?"

Even the way Asgore set Gaster down on the couch was gentle, the skeleton's soul fluttering.

Asgore was kneeling between his legs now, paws holding the underside of his femurs. Gaster gave a small nod in reply to the question.

'Yes. Please,' he signed a little shakily. 'I need more of you.'

Asgore shuddered and nodded. He pulled Gaster gently closer to him and pressed teasing kisses along the inside of one of his femurs. He could feel the heat radiating from Gaster's magic and the sensation made him almost delirious. He licked gently between the lips of his pussy, the taste completely foreign but definitely addictive. He slowly became more firm with his tongue, lapping at Gaster's magic with eagerness. He rubbed his paws up and down Gaster's legs, one of them coming to rest on his hip. He felt around the curve of it as he ate the skeleton out. Even something like this made his soul skip with love.

The skeleton lifted a hand up to his own mouth in a shy display as he watched the other kiss along one of his femurs, the other hand gripping the couch cushion. Excitement raced through him. Asgore's face was so close to his lips, and when that tongue finally emerged to lap at it, Gaster spread his legs wider as his own intense arousal made him quiver.

"Please..." There it was, his voice projected into Asgore's mind. It sounded soft, needy. Gaster lowered his hand from his mouth. It wasn't moving in time with his words. "Please fuck me. I...I need it. P-please..."

Asgore looked up at him with wide eyes, furry muzzle slightly matted with wet magic. He just sat and blinked for a few moments, and decided to save the questions for later. Well, most of them. "A-are you sure?" he asked shakily. "I-I mean I'm...um...a lot...bigger than you..." His words descended into a soft, embarrassed mumble toward the end. "I d-don't want to...h-hurt you..."

"Please," Gaster pleaded, one of his tentacle-like appendages sneaking its way into Asgore's pants, finding the king's arousal and wrapping around it. The scientist had imagined it would be big, but feeling it was another story.

"Wow...you're big indeed..."

"O-oh dear," Asgore murmured and lurched forward. He twitched in Gaster's grasp and gave a soft whine as he rocked into the touch. "Th-thank you..?"

He gently pulled the tentacle away from him and sat beside Gaster on the couch. He pulled the skeleton into his lap after shuffling his pants down minimally, and let out a quiet moan as he felt the hot wetness of Gaster's magic against his length.

"H-hnnngh...t-take this at y-your pace, o-okay?" he instructed as he gently rocked up against him.

Gaster placed his hands on Asgore's broad chest, fingers splayed across it. He leaned in and pressed a little skeleton kiss to a fluffy cheek. "You're so sweet...Are you sure you wouldn't rather pound me into the couch, my king?"

Gaster didn't usually say things like that. It surprised him a little, but he didn't usually invite someone to help take care of his heat either. Lowering himself a little, he felt the head of Asgore's massive cock begin to enter him. It was the widest the magic making up his conjured pussy had ever been stretched. Gaster was taking it in slowly. God, it felt like so much already, and he had little more than the head in.

Asgore blushed bright red at Gaster's words, and gasped as he felt himself breach the skeleton's magic. "S-sta- _aars_ ," he breathed, paws grasping tightly at the couch cushions. He felt like he would either explode or phase out of his own skin. "Y-you're- so tight, hah," he whined. It took all of his willpower not to grab Gaster's hips and fuck him to his soul's content, but this was about Gaster, not him. He'd be patient.

The royal scientist lowered himself a little more, and a little more, until finally the entire length of it was inside. Purple magic hugged around it, squeezing it. Such a tight fit. Gaster's mouth was open as he panted, trying to stay still, wanting to give himself a few moments to adjust.

"And y-you're so...big..." A moan, leaning forward to rest the side of his face against Asgore's chest, one of his arms moving up to wrap around the other's neck.  
"I've never taken a cock this huge before..."

Asgore likely would've blanched at those words had he not been balls-deep in the monster of his dreams. Words that normally he would not be inclined to like, he found he wouldn't really mind hearing again.

"I-is it really that...um...good?" he asked softly, a paw moving to rub gently against Gaster's back. "I'm...g-glad you like it..." His breathing was deep and heavy, his soul seeming to spin a thousand miles an hour. "O-ohh stars, Gaster..."

He began to move slowly lifting his hips and then lowering himself again on Asgore's cock. Each time he took it all back in he let out a moan or a gasp, feeling like he was rapidly being brought to completion again despite the slowness of his pace. There was just so much inside him, all that girth rubbing everything inside him with each movement. It was driving him crazy.

"I...ooh, goodness... I wish I- aah- could move faster th-than this... There's just...s-so much..."

Asgore closed his eyes and breathed for a moment. "Do you...hah, do you want me t-to move?" he offered. "I c-can definitely do that, I just don't w-want to hurt you." He moved his paw to the back of Gaster's skull, and if he wasn't so turned on, he would've been amused by the size difference.

"Yes... Please, Asgore... I'm so... I-I feel like I'll go mad if you don't."

Asgore let out a deep groan and placed his paws carefully on Gaster's hips. "Okay..." he said quietly, mostly to himself, before slowly pulling mostly out of Gaster, then thrusting back in. He shuddered at the feeling, and repeated the motion. "O-oh stars, Gaster you feel...s-so good, hah," he moaned, and picked up the pace a bit. He felt like if he was any firmer, he'd break the little thing, and somehow that made him even harder.

He actually squeaked at Asgore's first thrust, feeling overwhelmed already by the feeling of it all. He moaned and whimpered, gripping at the fabric of Asgore's shirt, magic filled with lust and also...appreciation. It wasn't long until he came a second time, squeezing so tight that it would have been a tad difficult for the king to move until Gaster's orgasm was through, the skeleton panting heavily.

Asgore took in a sharp breath and his back arched as he felt Gaster clench around him. He was so close, but he was wary of finishing inside; he was fairly sure there wasn't exactly much room left for anything else but his dick.

"G-Gaster, ahh," he groaned, a tiny bit of Gaster's come leaking out and dripping onto his fur. "I'm...hnn, I'm c-close-"

"P-please, inside...finish inside..." He felt so lewd saying that, completely aware it was just his lust talking, but _damn_ , he wanted to feel Asgore shoot into him. He cupped the side of that fluffy face, moving to press his mouth to the side of Asgore's lips.

" _Asgore_..."

The king shuddered and turned his head slightly to meet Gaster's teeth with his lips. He nuzzled against his face gently as he started to rock into him again. He reached the same point he was at before quickly, his thrusts becoming more erratic and frantic.

"S-stars, Gaster, I'm- hah- so c-close, g-gonna-" he stuttered, and let out a loud cry as he came, holding Gaster's hips down perhaps a little too forcefully.

As the king began to move inside him again, Gaster buried his face between the larger monster's neck and shoulder as he clung to him. Each thrust earned a gasp from the skeleton. He never knew a dick this big could feel so good. The warmth of Asgore's seed shot into him and he hugged himself tighter against that large, broad body, his own thin frame shuddering against him.

Asgore tried his best to stay still through his climax, but his body practically begged him to keep thrusting. He sputtered out a mixture of "stars" and "oh" and Gaster's name. He rested his chin on Gaster’s shoulder and groaned quietly as his knot began to swell.

“O-oh stars, I uh, forgot...about that...”

Gaster whined softly as his magic was stretched further. “I don’t think I can...take that...right now...”

Asgore nodded in understanding and gently raised the skeleton off of him, breathing deep and heavy. He let out a soft noise as he came fully unsheathed, a bit sad at the loss of that incredible tightness around him.

Gaster made a little noise of his own as Asgore pulled out. It felt strange being empty again after being filled so completely, though he was content. Being in heat, he'd likely crave for more soon enough, but right now, he was still bathing in the afterglow.

He settled beside the other on the couch, nestled comfortable against the larger monster's side. "Thank you...I never, um...I never enjoyed sex so much like that before."

"Oh, r-really?" Asgore asked, genuinely surprised. "I'm, um...glad you did." He was very clearly flustered, unused to such compliments. He chuckled sheepishly. "I was a little afraid I'd be, um...too much..."

He wanted to pull Gaster close against him, kiss the top of his skull, gently caress his cheekbones, but he was still anxious and unclear about where exactly their boundaries lay.

The scientist was clearly comfortable right now, nuzzled up to Asgore's side as he was. "It was a bit overwhelming...but in a good way."

Asgore just hummed in response. He turned his head to the side and rubbed his chin against the top of Gaster's skull. "You're...beautiful," he mumbled nervously, one of his paws raising to his ear to play idly with it.

It was a compliment Gaster had heard a million times from countless monsters, but when Asgore said it, it made his soul beat faster. Maybe it was because he knew the other didn't like him solely for his looks. If what the king said earlier through their text conversation was true, he hadn't even been interested in Gaster in that way until he felt his heat.

"Remind me again of how long you've been interested in me." He rested a hand on Asgore's knee.

Asgore stared at Gaster's hand for a moment before placing his paw gently over it. "Well...when I realized...just how hard you'd been working for me...well, for the Underground, really, I really started to admire you. That was perhaps..." He paused for a few seconds. "Golly, time really blurs down here, doesn't it? Um...it was...I suppose, about a year after..." He sighed. "I hate to bring this up, but it was about a year after things started going south with Toriel. I pushed the feelings to the back of my mind...or soul, I suppose. So after she left, the sheer loneliness brought it back right in front of me." He rubbed his thumb over the back of Gaster's hand, back and forth beside the hole in it. "It freaked me out."

Gaster's soul went out to him. He was sure Asgore felt it, the empathy he felt for him then.

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry you were alone..."

Maybe he should have reached out to Asgore sooner. For once, Gaster regretted his tendency to place friendships low on his priority list.

"It's alright, Gaster," Asgore assured him. He let his soul meet the skeleton's, and let his eyes fall closed in appreciation of the moment. "I hope you don't feel that I have...taken advantage of you. Or that I expect anything from you." He smiled weakly, sadly. "I will make sure this remains here, if that is what you wish."

"No...I don't feel as if you took advantage of me. I asked you to help me, remember? It was...difficult for me to do so. When my heat comes around, I try ignoring it to the best of my ability. I certainly don't ask anyone for help. Ever. I never wanted any help because the idea of anyone touching me makes me so..."

Gaster's magic reflected his sudden discomfort as he talked about this. There was fear there, too. He tried to fight it back, reminding himself that he was safe. "...But it's different with you. I wouldn't have invited you to my body if I didn't trust you."

Asgore felt a terrible mixture of sadness and flattery and love. "I'm...oh..." he said, berating himself internally for sounding like such a fool. "You...do not have to talk about this if you don't want to. I certainly don't mind just being here with you." He bit his lip nervously. "Um, maybe that wasn't the best thing to say. I apologize..."

"You are sweet...and a bit self-detrimental. You apologize far too much when there is nothing to apologize for." He nuzzled him. "I like you. Far more than other monsters, at least. I know that's not the most romantic thing to say, but please know for most of my life I've been a very distrustful individual. I didn't think it would be possible for me to feel comfortable with someone again, but here I am, cuddled up to your side."

Asgore's soul warmed and pulsed almost painfully. He pressed a gentle kiss to the top of Gaster's skull and hummed quietly.

"I do hope we can spend more time together," he murmured against him. "I think there's a lot more we have to learn about each other. And I think feeling like this is adding a few years to my life." He laughed quietly. "I did not think things would...transpire like this, for sure."

The gentle kiss made Gaster smile. "I agree...I haven't felt like this in… Actually, I'm not sure. I was beginning to think I was no longer capable of feeling content."

He looked up at him, smile growing a little wider. "I'd love to spend more time with you too. I think I can manage pulling myself away from the lab every now and then… Tell me, are you going to take me on dates; will you woo me with flowers and chocolates as is traditional?"

Asgore grinned and raised Gaster's hand to his muzzle, pressing his lips against it gently. "Perhaps something that caters more to you as an individual, but along those lines, yes," he said softly. "And I certainly understand how you feel. My soul has not felt so light in...a very long time."

"I just imagined science equipment wrapped in a bouquet." Gaster laughed, and he knew this was the first time Asgore had ever heard it.

Asgore felt like he would cry. He had never heard the skeleton so happy.

"Yes, a high quality microscope with some lavender and chrysanthemums around it." He chuckled quietly. "You are lovely. I cannot understand how anyone could only see you for your looks."

"I am unapproachable. I express very little, even holding my magic close to me so no one can feel it. Someone once admitted they thought I was soulless." Gaster didn't bat an eye as he said this. "No tone of voice either, just monotonous signing. You hear me now, but I am still a mute in the sense that I cannot speak aloud. But anyway, I don't give much for others to go on. If I'm emotionless, what else is there? My looks, I suppose."

Asgore nodded and hummed in acknowledgement. "Those are all true, but you are intelligent, and you have done many impressive things. It is clear, at least to me, how passionate you are about your work. You work so hard for the benefit of others, sacrificing your own health in the process." He paused for a second, a stern look coming over his face. "Which you shouldn't do, by the way." His expression became gentle again and he kissed his forehead.

"Thank you...I'm grateful you care about me, but I'm not making any promises regarding my tendency to work too hard. I think you'd have to physically drag me away from the lab for that."

"Something tells me you wouldn't protest if I did," Asgore teased, a gentle smile on his face. He let his soul reach out and caress Gaster. "If I notice you getting too tired, I think I will. You deserve to relax sometimes. And I'm sure Sans or someone else equally capable can cover for you while you're gone, yes?"

The image came to mind of Asgore scooping him up effortlessly, carrying him bridal style with those strong arms of his. It wasn't a bad thought...

"I...I suppose..."

Asgore chuckled softly and nuzzled the side of Gaster's skull. "Golly, this is...really nice. Better than I even imagined...though I tried to avoid spending too much time thinking about it."

"I'm sorry for running from you before... In your throne room. I'm sure you remember." Gaster leaned up to give Asgore a small kiss. "I think I already told you this: it wasn't you I was afraid of. Just the whole...relationship thing. I don't let monsters close to me. Not usually. But I don't want this to end. I feel...content being here with you."

He cupped the side of Asgore's face, giving him a lustful look. "And I will need your continued assistance helping me tend to my heat..."

Asgore involuntarily let out a tiny squeak and his face heated up. "O-of course," he said quietly. "Um...what would you...like?" He laid his paw gently on Gaster's ilium and rubbed circles into it with his thumb.

His cock once again stood at attention; he hadn't noticed, but as they were talking, the swelling of his knot had gone completely down, something he was thankful for.

"I'm satisfied right now, miraculously. I was mostly referring to the rest of the week. I've still a few days left of being in heat." Gaster pressed himself closer to the king. "As for right now, I know I won't be satisfied for long...I wouldn't mind if we continued. In fact, I'd rather like that."

Asgore placed his arm around Gaster's shoulders and pulled him close. "Anything you need," he purred, and raised a paw to his collarbone. He dragged his claw gently across it, watching Gaster for his reaction.

Gaster sighed contentedly as that claw dragged along his collarbone. What a delicate action, yet it felt so intimate and wonderful.

"What about what you need?" His hand moved between Asgore's legs, stroking him. "I find myself eager to hear how much you want me, the things you want to do to me."

Asgore shuddered under his touch, hardening almost immediately. "A-ah, I...golly, I'm not used to t-talking like tha- _at_ ," he groaned, and buried his muzzle in the crook between Gaster's shoulder and neck. "I d-definitely would like to f-finger you again..." His voice was a soft mumble, very obviously shy about saying such a thing.

Gaster was surprised. Out of all the things to do to an eager skeleton with a magically conjured entrance at the ready, Asgore wanted to finger him?

"O-oh." He was blushing heavily. "Alright.."

"Is...is that not good?" Asgore asked worriedly, pulling back to look at Gaster with gentle concern on his face.

"I'm just...well...what about your own pleasure? Do you not want to take anything from this as well? You're more than welcome to."

"Well...yes. But I would be l-lying if I said I didn't enjoy...the s-sounds you make...a-and the look on your face..." Asgore said softly, returning his nose to Gaster's shoulder. "So in a way, I do get pleasure from d-doing that..."

A rush of heat hit Gaster between the legs, making him quiver briefly as he gripped one of those large shoulders.

"Oh...oh my..." So, so shy now. He was grateful Asgore wasn't currently looking at his face.

Asgore hummed quietly and trailed his claw down Gaster's sternum and then his hips. He ran the back of his claws slowly down his iliac crest. His paw came to rest on the curve of his ilium, purposefully teasing, before he gently rubbed between the lips of the pussy that had once again formed between Gaster's legs.

Gaster let out a shuddering sigh, gripping Asgore's shoulders tighter as those gentle claws reached his pelvis. He felt like he was going to melt when his aching magic was touched again, those fingers being so gentle with him.

"I...I forgot how good another’s touch can feel." He mumbled, more to himself than to Asgore.

"As did I," Asgore mumbled against Gaster. "Seeing as you are i-in heat, I expect that you will not need m-much preparation for a...c-couple of my fingers, y-yes?"

"Mhm... And after taking your impressive dick, I think I'll manage." Gaster surprised himself again with how lewd he was being.

Asgore let out a shaky breath at his words. "It's n-not that impressive," he argued weakly. After a few more gentle rubs, he pushed a finger inside Gaster, shuddering at the feeling of wet, hot tightness around it.

Not that impressive? Pft, yes it was. Though...he got the feeling Asgore wouldn't appreciate it if Gaster went on about it. He wasn't sure how much he wanted to talk anyway, rolling his hips slowly as a finger pressed inside him.

Asgore rubbed his muzzle gently against Gaster's cheek and began to thrust his finger, slowly at first, gaining speed over a few moments. He pushed a second finger in beside the first and ghosted his thumb briefly against Gaster's clit. He wanted to tell Gaster how good this was, how much he loved it, loved the way he moved against him, but he didn't think words would come out if he tried.

Gaster’s body jolted at the brief attention to his clit, and he rolled his hips forward again in an attempt to take Asgore's fingers in deeper, giving a whine of pleasure.

Asgore's muzzle fell open and he let out a hot, shaky breath. "G-gosh," he whined softly. He squirmed slightly and palmed his erection with his free paw, attempting to get rid of some of the tension. "A-ah, Gaster...do you know w-what you d-do to me?" he whispered as he continued fucking the skeleton with his fingers, his thumb occasionally brushing against his clit.

"Aside from...th-the- nngh- the o-obvious?" His clit was so sensitive, Gaster's thin frame shuddering each and every time it was touched. He was getting so close to the edge again, the other so skillful with his fingers.

Asgore laughed gently and started to lap and nibble at Gaster's collarbone. He curled his fingers on each thrust, now rubbing gently but insistently at Gaster's clit. "H-hah...Gaster, will you...c-c-come for me?" he whispered against his shoulder. His face heated up even more as he said the words, and he didn't know if he had ever said anything so lewd.

Gaster arched and moaned, Asgore's curling fingers and the attention to his clit driving him wild. He tilt his head back, grabbing a fistful of blond hair as he teetered at the edge, magic squeezing around those fingers.

"Y-yes..." He was panting heavily, desperately. "So...aah...hah...c-close... A-As...gore..."

After another moment he came with a loud cry, hips bucking as he rode it out. He collapsed afterward, letting go of the bigger monster and falling back against the couch, laying on his back, an arm above his head.

Asgore purred and leaned into Gaster's grasp. He finger-fucked him through his orgasm, eyes locked on that gorgeous expression.

After he was clearly spent, Asgore gently pulled his fingers out and stared at them for a moment before licking them clean. He half-hoped Gaster wasn't looking his way. Even after everything they’d done together, he was still incredibly shy.

"W-was that...good?" he asked quietly, leaning over the skeleton with a worried but hopeful expression.

Gaster felt dazed, vision unfocused as he lay there quivering on the couch. It was when Asgore leaned over him that the skeleton focused his vision, looking up at that gentle face. He felt so much affection, so much that he felt like he was overflowing with it, and it surprised himself. He never thought he'd let someone so close again.

"Absolutely..." He answered softly. "You are very skilled at that."

"Th-thank you," Asgore said, flustered. He leaned down and pressed his lips to Gaster's forehead. "And thank you for...trusting me. I am infinitely happy that you do."

Gaster's legs were on either side of Asgore, putting the two monsters in an intimate position. The kiss to his forehead made him quite happy. 

"I was nervous at first..." He glanced away shyly. "I...really do find trust difficult, but you have been so, so sweet with me..."

Asgore hummed quietly. "I'm glad you appreciate it, Gaster," he purred. "You deserve so much more than I am able to give you, but I will try my best."

"Oh, hush..." Gaster’s gaze returned to the king. "Have I mentioned that you are self-detrimental? Give yourself a little more credit."

"You have," Asgore replied. "Perhaps with time that will improve." He pressed another gentle kiss to Gaster, this time on his cheekbone. "Have I mentioned that you are lovely?"

Asgore was so close, leaning over him like this, placing a gentle kiss so near his mouth. It was getting Gaster all worked up again, the skeleton parting his teeth, the glow of a purple tongue visible behind them.

"You have.." His hand felt the firmness of Asgore's shoulder muscles beneath the fur before moving to the back of his neck, thumb gingerly stroking.

Asgore started to purr gently, his eyes falling shut as he leaned into the touch. He kissed Gaster's face countless times, and briefly wondered how awkward an actual kiss would be. He caressed Gaster's jaw gently and rubbed his cheekbone with his thumb.

"I...like this," he murmured softly.

Gaster enjoyed that strong, large hand cupping his chin. He thought about how close it was to his neck, and how easily such a powerful hand could crush him. The thought set his loins afire, though what he enjoyed more about the moment was not the sexual aspect to it, but rather how tender the king was with him. He felt love from him and it was making Gaster's soul do flips. He closed his eye sockets, tongue gliding across Asgore's lower lip.

Asgore's mouth fell open immediately at the touch, and his whole body quivered. He hesitantly flicked his tongue out to meet Gaster's and gave a soft whine. He snaked his arm underneath the skeleton's back and pulled him up against him and half onto his lap. He was admittedly a little nervous about kissing him...a flat face against a muzzle wasn't exactly the ideal setup.

He kissed him anyway, a mixture of pressing his lips gently against Gaster's teeth and meeting the long, conjured tongue with his own.

Gaster enjoyed the feeling of Asgore's tongue against his, and that strong arm under his back, holding him flush against the king's broad chest. It made him feel small, and for a moment he pondered why he enjoyed that. Perhaps because he knew he was safe. It was nice being able to trust someone.

His tongue danced with Asgore's, the moist muscles rubbing against each other. Gaster was slow with it, sensual, his knees squeezing Asgore's sides.

Asgore felt a little dirty for getting so heated just from kissing, but...for the time being, he told himself it was just the effect of Gaster's heat. He rubbed slowly up and down the other's spine and tried his best to match the movements of his tongue.

Gaster continued to kiss him for a few moments before turning his head to the side to break the kiss, panting, hugging himself to him.

"...Would you like to continue?" Gaster's voice was soft in Asgore's mind. "Miraculously, I'm sated, I think, but you've been hard again for a while now..."

Asgore's face heated furiously and he looked away. "This isn't about me..." he mumbled softly. "So it is entirely up to you." He looked at Gaster again, a sincere yet flustered expression on his face. "Though, I d-do certainly...enjoy..." He coughed and looked away again. "Your...t-touch..." His voice was almost inaudible as he said this, cheeks burning, and his paw had returned to his ear to fiddle with it.

Gaster felt a rush of heat at those words. He found it interesting how his own body reacted to Asgore leaving the decision entirely up to him. It was damn arousing how much the other cared about him.

"Even now you manage to surprise me with how sweet you can be." His hand moved from the back of Asgore's head to one of those horns, trailing a few fingers across it delicately before moving to the ear Asgore was toying with. He rubbed it at the base.

"You're hard as a rock, so I offer my body to you again if you want it, and you reply with 'This isn't about me.' You have extraordinary willpower."

Asgore whined quietly and leaned into Gaster's gentle touch. "It's not willpower," he said quietly, "it is reverence...you are important to me in more ways than one, and I will do my best to treat you as such." He placed his paw on the back of Gaster's neck and rubbed there softly, affectionately.

At the word 'reverence,' Gaster’s eye socket widened a bit, clearly caught off guard. He didn't reply for a moment.

"Reverence, huh..." He wasn't used to feeling this much endearment for someone. "Surprised me again. You're just so...perfect. So gentle, and... G-goodness, Asgore, you're stirring up so many emotions in me I thought long dead."

Asgore felt a strange sort of drop and then warmth in his soul at Gaster's words. "I...oh...you think I'm...p-p-perfect?" He stammered the word out, and looked like he might cry. "I...I am glad I can...m-make you happy...you certainly deserve it."

"As close to perfect as one can get, yes..." He noticed Asgore stuttering and continued to rub the base of his ear. They were so cute, those ears. So soft and fluffy. "I just wish you could see it. Please, take me again if you want to. I wouldn't mind. I'd... I would enjoy it..."

Asgore let out yet another whine, a little louder than the previous ones. "I c-can't say no when you s-say it like that," he breathed softly. "Gaster...you're...so g-good to me..."

He reached between Gaster's legs and purred contentedly when he felt the magic that had already coagulated there.

"I will...n-never get tired of this," he whispered. His soul beamed as he realized he was gaining a little confidence, at least as far as speaking went.

The feeling of Asgore's hand between his legs made Gaster jolt again, eye socket closing halfway as he let out a soft, shuddering breath. "You don't have to be as careful with me this time around.. You've driven me to orgasm three times already. I'm loosened up enough. Slam home."

"I-if you want that," Asgore said, still incredibly flustered. "Though I...do like t-teasing you," he admitted. He accentuated his words by licking a slow stripe up the edge of Gaster's jaw. "Your pleasure is mine."

"Oh... Oh my..." Gaster was growing increasingly smitten with this man. How could Toriel leave this darling?

Oh yes, that's right... Murder aside, apparently Asgore had been interested in him for quite a while, and Toriel had caught onto it. Perhaps Gaster should feel at least a little guilty, but he did not.

Asgore smiled and nuzzled against him, elated that he could make Gaster just as flustered as he felt. He rubbed slowly at the lips of his pussy for a few moments in silence, save for their deep breathing and Gaster's occasional sounds of pleasure. He paused after a bit and, after another gentle nuzzle, leaned back so he could look at Gaster's face. "Tell me what you want me to do to you." His face somehow remained straight, but internally he was incredibly proud that for once he had managed not to stutter.

"I..." It was Gaster's turn to be flustered, left panting beneath the monster gazing down at him. He moved the side of his hand over his own mouth, clearly feeling shy at the moment, which reflected in his magic too. "U-use my body until you're satisfied. I want to feel you inside me again. I want to know you're getting as much out of this as I am."

Asgore groaned deeply at Gaster's words. "I suppose...my p-proof will start with this..." He took Gaster's hand in his own and guided it to his own erection. As he felt that hand - which was much smaller than his own - against him, he felt like his soul was going to burst. He gently guided it up and down his cock, face scrunched up in raw pleasure.

As soon as he felt that hard cock beneath his fingers, a wave of arousal spread through Gaster like wildfire. He didn't feel sated any longer, yearning for something inside him again. Maybe it was because he was still in heat, or maybe Asgore was just that good at riling him up, or both.

Soon his hand was moving across Asgore's length of his own accord. "This proof is insufficient. I'll say you're getting enough out of this when you're completely spent. When you've come so much you couldn't 'get it up' no matter how hard you tried."

Asgore's eyes widened and he involuntarily bucked his hips and let out a shaky moan.

"G-Gaster, hah," he breathed as a gentle smile crossed his lips. He brought his paws to Gaster's sides and rubbed up and down, letting his claws drag along his ribs. His breathing was short and labored, and his soul was pounding furiously in his chest. "Y-yes, ah...I...hah-ah, Gaster..."

He was loving the feeling of Asgore's paws across his sensitive ribcage. His own arousal made him whimper.

"Asgore... Pl...ease..."

_Please fuck me again. I want it so badly._

Asgore moaned long and low, and pulled Gaster's hand gently away from his dick. "D-do you need me t-to..?" he asked, gaze flitting all over Gaster's body. "Golly, you're...wow. E-every time I l-look at you, I...just...I..." He lost his voice and cleared his throat. He looked into Gaster's eyes for a long moment before shutting his own and pressing his lips against the other's teeth. After a few seconds of a soft closed-mouth kiss, he stroked Gaster's hip and pulled back to look at him once more. "I...f-fall in love with you all...all over again..." He looked to the side with an expression of hopelessness and continued to rub softly at the skeleton's iliac crest.

Gaster retained eye contact, waiting for Asgore to finish what he was saying, but instead the other leaned in for a kiss, which made Gaster feel like he would melt. He closed his eye socket fully during those moments, and when the kiss ended and he felt a large hand at his hip, Gaster quivered.

Then Asgore finished what he wanted to say. 

They hit Gaster hard, those words. His immediate instinct was to look away, but he didn't, staring up at him as the corner of his eye sockets welled up with tears, wet droplets the same pretty purple as his magic. "I..."

He felt awful for not giving Asgore a chance with him sooner.

Asgore started to panic. "I-I-I'm sorry, did I...ah, Gaster, I'm sorry," he blabbered, a soft paw raising to caress his cheek softly. "Maybe I sh-shouldn't have...s-s-said that, I'm...really sorry, G-Gaster, ahh..."

"I-it's okay. I just... You've loved me all this time and I didn't even notice." There was too much emotion in Gaster's own voice right now for his liking. He hated it, nuzzling briefly against Asgore's palm before raising a hand in front of him to sign.

'I'm sorry.'

"Gaster...please...don't be sorry," he said quietly. "I did my best not to let you know...for a long time..." He kissed Gaster's forehead briefly again. "I knew that you...are not generally comfortable with...romantic endeavors...so I just...sort of tried to wait it out...see if it would go away."

He paused for a while, chin resting on Gaster's shoulder. He instinctively purred in an effort to soothe him, and continued to gently stroke his cheek and jaw bones.

Gaster hugged himself to Asgore, arms around his neck. Internally he scolded himself for getting so emotional. Well, more accurately, he scolded himself for letting his emotions be seen. He was plenty emotional on the regular, but kept it from his face, and kept his magic close to himself so no one could feel it. And the signing...there was no tone of voice to keep track of, so he didn't have to worry about emotion seeping into it.

Now it was all on display for Asgore.

"But it didn't go away, did it? It persisted. Honestly, I still don't see how you could have fallen for someone who always appears as emotionless as I do. Even though you've tried explaining it to me once, I do not understand. Though...I suppose now it's clear I feel as much as anyone else. What's transpired between us today is a huge contrast to my usual stoic demeanor, I'm sure.

"There's even a tone of voice for you to decipher, though I don't do this often... It's been a very long time since I've allowed anyone to hear me..."

Asgore continued his purring for a few more moments after Gaster had finished speaking. "I did not know you had a voice," he said quietly, his own voice still deep with vibrations. "You may not convey emotions with your expressions or movements, but...the things you do speak volumes, as they say. But...I will spare you that speech, as you have already heard it in its entirety."

He rubbed the side of his face against Gaster's gently. "You don't...mind this, do you?" he asked suddenly, worriedly. "My...physical expressions of affection...?"

"I don't mind... I feel like I am not reciprocating as well as another monster might. I am unused to physical affection...but this is nice... I am comfortable... Surprisingly. And I mean that in the best possible way. Touch has always made me uncomfortable, but yours is nice..."

Asgore's purring became gradually louder and deeper. "I think you reciprocate just fine," he said softly and continued to nuzzle his cheek. "I'm glad you like it, Gaster. I certainly...enjoy yours."

The purring against Gaster was interesting, the deep rumbling vibrating his bones. It was pleasant. He closed his eye sockets and focused on the feeling, idly stroking the back of Asgore's neck with a thumb.

He was still waiting for Asgore to sate himself, but decided against asking the king when he'd continue. If Asgore wanted this emotional moment between them to last longer, then that was alright.

After a few sweet moments, Asgore started to nibble at Gaster's collarbone, still purring heavily. He rubbed again at his iliac crest, letting his claws drag gently along as he moved his paw, slowly making his way toward the middle of his pelvis. He hoped he was doing a decent job at teasing Gaster, but during his heat it likely didn't take much, so he let the worry go for the time being.

Gaster moaned softly at the feeling of teeth on his collarbone. Thanks to that purring, he could feel the rumbling against the bone as Asgore devoted time to it. The idle stroking of his thumb against the back of the king's neck ceased, fingers gripping instead as excitement coursed through him, making him feel hot.

A paw was at his pelvis now and the skeleton lightly squirmed, feeling all sorts of good, though shy, but he didn't look away, gazing up at the larger monster's face.

Asgore's eyes were hooded with a mixture of lust and love, occasional moans interspersed throughout his purring. He wasn't exaggerating when he'd told Gaster that the skeleton's pleasure was his own.

"Thank you..." he said quietly, slowly. "For trusting me. Allowing me to do this for you."

He smiled against Gaster's bones and slid his tongue underneath his collarbone, grasping a little more firmly at his hip. He accentuated the grope with a somewhat rough bite around his collarbone.

The bite made the skeleton wince, but Gaster was not in pain. It would take more than that to damage bone. The wince was instead due to how much arousal coursed through him knowing that those teeth could break him if they wanted to, and because of how nice they felt clamped down on his collarbone like this.

He arched his back and let out a shuddering breath, his body quivering as well, hand sliding from the back of a strong, furry neck to hold onto a broad shoulder. His knees would have come together if Asgore wasn't between his legs, and he looked so needy as he lay there, so ready for more.

Asgore shuddered at the way Gaster tensed up under his teeth. He soothed the bite with his tongue, then pulled back.

The way Asgore's tongue slid across his collarbone elicited another shuddering breath from the skeleton, mouth slightly agape, tongue glowing within his mouth. 

The king took in a deep breath in preparation for the words he was about to say...or _try_ to say.

"D-do you...want me...in-ins-side you...?" he asked quietly, face burning and soul throbbing.

Gaster answered the question with a nod before burying his face against Asgore's chest.

Asgore smiled gently and resisted the urge to tell Gaster how cute he was. He grasped his pelvis with one paw on each iliac crest and held him like that as he rutted up into him. The feeling of his cock gliding smoothly between the lips of that pussy made of magic was like nothing he had ever felt. It was so smooth and hot and wet...

He cried out as he rutted particularly roughly, and if Gaster wasn't asking for penetration, he would've been perfectly fine with getting off like this.

"A-are you...r-ready...? Or sh-should I...pre-prepare you?"

Gaster continued holding onto Asgore, face still buried against that strong chest as the other's girth slid across his opening. It felt heavenly, his juices smearing and glistening on Asgore's cock.

"Y-yes... I'm ready."

Asgore groaned deeply and nodded. He moved one of his paws to his own length to line himself up, and pushed slowly into Gaster until he was fully sheathed. "A-ah, stars, Gaster..." he sighed. "I will never get tired of this...you f-feel so...good...hah, so nice and t-tight a-a-around me, s-so hot and...w-wet..." He fumbled over his words; though he really wanted to say them, they still felt incredibly dirty on his tongue.

It was easier going in this second time around, though it felt just as intense, just as wonderful, and overwhelming in a good way. Gaster’s head lolled to the side, the skeleton moaning as Asgore’s cock pushed inside inch by inch, leaving him panting hard as it fully buried itself within the confines of his magically constructed pussy.

He wanted Asgore to start thrusting, though he didn't communicate this in words, moving his hips instead.

Asgore sat there for a few long moments, panting and moaning softly. After Gaster started to roll his hips, he bucked into him hard involuntarily, a short "S-sorry" immediately leaving his lips. He set a slow, deep pace, and he honestly didn't know how long he'd last. Everything was just so... _much_.

The rough thrust made Gaster gasp, arms instinctively clinging to Asgore tighter as he quivered beneath him.

"N-no, it's- ah- fine... Mmm... You feel...s-so good..." he said between panting breaths. "You're...so...g-good..."

The king was already too far gone to respond, and he wrapped his arms tightly around Gaster before switching their positions. He was now pounding the skeleton into the couch (which was now thoroughly soaked and would definitely have to be replaced), a little more liberal now with his sounds of ecstasy.

Gaster was losing himself now that Asgore was fucking him in earnest, that thick cock stimulating every inch of his inner passage, pleasure shooting through him like electricity. His vision was unfocused now, eye socket open, but it was hard to concentrate on anything when being pounded into oblivion. The couch rocked with them, and those prehensile, tentacle-like appendages gripped whatever they could hold. One was around the king's waist, some squeezing the arm rest of the couch, some around one of the couch's corners, the rest writhing aimlessly. Each thrust made him moan or gasp.

Asgore's mouth hung open, hot breath falling on Gaster's neck where his muzzle was buried. "Gaster...f-fuck, ah," he groaned deeply, and wondered briefly if Gaster had ever heard him curse before. "Oh, you- ah, ah- you feel so fucking good a-around me, hah-"

No, he'd never heard Asgore curse before, but hearing it in this context aroused Gaster even further, making his pleasure spike. His mind couldn't wrap around a proper response, his voice projected directly into Asgore's mind gasping out 'Yes,' and 'Please,' and Asgore's name. He wouldn't last much longer.

Asgore grasped the back of the couch beside Gaster's head with both his paws. He nailed him relentlessly, all hesitation lost as he neared his climax. His moans had coalesced into growling groans, and it was clear just how much he was enjoying himself.

Those growls were so arousing, another reminder of how dangerous this large monster could be if he really wanted to. Or maybe it was the safety Gaster still felt that was the arousing bit. He didn't dwell on it, grasping at anything he could, tentacles included, as he was fucked relentlessly. The couch was still moving each time Asgore thrust forward, and by the end of this, if they cared to notice, they'd find it moved about a foot.

Within a few moments Asgore's thrusts became shaky, his moans became higher in pitch and more intense, and his paws grasped the couch so hard it ripped underneath his claws. With a loud, stuttering cry, he released inside Gaster, pinning him down with nearly his whole weight.

Gaster came with a yell, climaxing around the same time Asgore did, soaked cunt squeezing Asgore's dick as he did so. He felt the other's hot juices spill into him once again, tongue poking out between parted teeth as he panted desperately, looking positively lewd.

He didn't attempt to speak for a while after it was over, body trying to calm itself after the recent exertion, still shaking. When he did speak again it was a gentle, "You're crushing me a bit."

He was...kinda squished between the couch and Asgore.

Asgore let out a soft squeak, and had he not had the presence of mind to be careful, likely would've flung himself back off the couch. Luckily, he did have said presence of mind, and gently raised off of Gaster. "S-sorry, I got...very...c-carried away..."

He looked away sheepishly and resumed his spot on the couch beside Gaster. He noticed the tears in the fabric now and bit his lip. "Oh dear...I...will make sure to...replace this..."

His knot was starting to swell again, and he placed a paw over it; it was a little uncomfortable to be exposed to the air with it swollen.

Gaster took a few more moments to collect himself, though he was still panting when he pushed himself up on an arm and then moved over to the king, leaning against him. He shuddered again briefly, feeling pleasant aftershocks from his orgasm. He was feeling pretty good, though exhausted, eye socket falling shut.

"Forget the couch for now."

Asgore pulled Gaster close against him and pressed a gentle kiss to the top of his skull. His breathing was still deep and labored, and he had resumed his quiet purring.

"Mm, if you insist." His own eyes fell shut and he pulled Gaster closer. "Th-thank you..."

"Mmhm..." he replied lazily, loosely hugging one of Asgore's arms. "Thank you as well. I know I'm still in heat, but you've certainly beaten it back for the time being. I can think clearly again...but I don't want to resume my work. I am comfortable here..."

Asgore's face heated up and his soul warmed. "I...am...honored...that you would rather spend time with me than continue your work," he said softly, nuzzling Gaster gently with his muzzle.

"I'm tired anyway." Gaster was usually tired, usually ignoring sleep for his work, so perhaps that wasn't a good excuse for not going back to work at the moment. He smiled. "You wore me out."

"O-oh...I apologize," Asgore said softly, but then noticed his smile and returned it. "Ah, you meant that as a good thing..."

He laid back on the couch, head resting on the arm, and pulled Gaster with him. "I think I am broad and warm enough to serve as a decent bed, yes?" He gave a soft chuckle.

Gaster settled atop him. He knew he didn't have to worry about making Asgore uncomfortable with his weight. Being a skeleton, he weighed very little, around thirty pounds, a ridiculously small weight compared to monsters whose forms were more... fleshy. Compared to Asgore, Gaster was a feather.

"Mhm... You're very comfortable." He was getting drowsy.

"Indeed." Asgore purred, purposefully loud and deep. His chest rumbled gently with the vibrations from his throat. His paw was at the back of Gaster's skull, petting it gently.

That smile was still on his face, small though genuine. Sleep was beginning to overtake him now that they weren't engaged in 'activity.'

Asgore stayed awake for a while, just enjoying the silence (save for his own purring). He fell asleep after a few minutes, happier than he'd been in...decades.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *sweats* this was very pleasant to edit...i hope yall liked it ok


	9. Gaster: Come Over - Asgore: I Can't, I'm the King - Gaster: I'm in Heat - Asgore: omw :o)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG TO EDIT I HOPE YALL ENJOY IT

The morning came quickly; it had already been fairly late when Asgore had arrived, and they had gone at it for a couple hours. The pair were nowhere near awake, nor would they be anytime soon.

Sans arrived exactly on time for work, as usual, and made his way to the lounge for his daily dose of coffee. He walked into the room, dead set on the coffee maker. He was in the midst of pouring ground coffee into the filter when he realized there was...some sort of noise in the room. It sounded like...snoring?

He looked around the room, and was proud of himself for not crying out or laughing. The view of the couch, very clearly torn up, and Gaster laying like that on Asgore, was hilarious.

He wasn't gonna pass this moment up.

He took his phone out, made sure the ringer and flash were off, and took a picture that he'd probably frame and gift to his boss sometime. He debated on waking him up, but he didn't want to risk a several-hundred-pound lion-goat-thing being angry with him.

He decided just to go on with his day, though still rather amused at what he'd walked in on.

[](http://i.imgur.com/LJruc6I)

As Gaster began to awaken, as soon as he became conscious of the fact he wasn't alone where he slept, he jolted off the couch. To be more specific, he fell off Asgore in his panic and hit the floor with a loud thud. It was not a graceful landing, the back of his head stinging where it had collided with the cold floor, and he rolled to his side as he grasped his head.

On top of that, he realized now that he was feeling so, so hot. His heat wasn't over.

At least his panic had subsided, remembering the night he shared with the king. He propped himself up on an elbow, hand still on his arching head.

Asgore woke at the sound and made a small squeaking noise. He knelt beside Gaster on the floor and looked at him worriedly. "A-are you okay?" he asked, holding Gaster's face with a gentle paw.

Purple tinted Gaster's cheekbones as Asgore touched his face. He was sure the king felt it, the extreme arousal that surged in his magic as soon as Asgore made contact with him. It was an innocent touch, but even so, the skeleton was still in heat, and thoughts of the sex they’d had the night previous swam through Gaster's mind as he looked up at him, his own expression neutral.

He removed his hand from his aching head to sign. 'I'm fine.'

He needed a shower. And what time was it? Still early enough that no one had come in here?

"Do you need anything?" Asgore asked. It was clear that he didn't only mean sexually. His eyes were filled not with lust, but love and genuine concern. "Did you get enough sleep?"

He stared at Asgore for a moment before he raised himself from the floor and adjusted his clothes. They were still askew from when they had their fun. 

'No, I don't, and I slept fine. You're very comfortable. I just woke up with a start and banged my head, but I'm fine.'

Asgore smiled, satisfied with that answer. He gathered his own clothes from where they were strewn across the room and redressed himself. He extracted his phone from his pocket. 11:34 AM.

"Oh, dear..." He looked over at Gaster. "When do people start to come in here...?"

Gaster watched the other dress for a short moment before deciding to look away out of respect. It was rude to stare. He was also trying to keep his own arousal under control. Although used to ignoring it when he was in heat, having the solution to that problem, albeit a temporary one, right in front of him in the form of Asgore was making it more difficult to ignore.

Blushing deeper now, he was pulled from his thoughts by the other's voice, gaze returning to the now fully dressed boss monster.

'Seven.' Gaster signed in response to the question, feeling increasingly nervous though still retaining that neutral expression. He looked at the couch. It was not in good condition. He stepped over to it, trailing his fingers across the deep tears.

How noticeable... And dang it, knowing it was Asgore's claws that did this was not helping alleviate the intense arousal that came with being in heat. It only made the feeling worse. He pulled his hand away from the couch suddenly as if caught doing something he shouldn't have.

"Gaster...do you...um...want to...t-take a day off, maybe...?" Asgore asked slowly, quietly. "I assume that you would not want to...re-relieve your...h-heat...while there are other monsters present in the vi-vicinity."

The skeleton turned to him, magic solidifying a purple tongue behind his teeth, a bit of lust slipping into his expression.

'Tempting.' Really, really, really tempting. 'I probably should, shouldn't I?'

"You are still in heat, and not in any condition to work." Asgore had a stern but concerned look on his face. "I am sure Sans is capable enough to take over for you until your heat is through." He stepped forward and placed a gentle paw on Gaster's shoulder. "Let me take care of you, Gaster."

Gaster's knees felt weak. After a moment's consideration he caved in, taking a small step to close the distance between them, leaning against Asgore's chest.

"Okay..."

Asgore gently kissed the top of Gaster's skull. "Does it matter to you whether or not we leave discreetly...?"

Gaster stepped away from him again and pulled out his phone, directing his eye light's gaze to the device as he began texting Sans. Simultaneously he'd conjured an extra hand to sign to Asgore. Gaster looked a little frazzled.

'Nothing discreet about you. I'm taking your advice and asking Sans to take over for the day.'

His text to Sans was short and to the point:

Taking the day off. You're in charge while I'm gone. You can continue on the main project or use the time for your own side projects. It doesn't matter to me.

The main project of which the royal scientist was referring to was the Determination Extractor.

Asgore nodded in understanding, fighting the urge to whine at the loss of touch. "I-is it alright if I..." He coughed awkwardly. "C-c-carry you..." His voice was incredibly quiet, clearly embarrassed just to ask the question. "I-I mean, I have...l-longer legs...so I can...w-walk faster..."

He stiffened, attention moving from his phone to Asgore's face.

'Out the door? That would raise more questions than I am willing to answer right now.'

"If you object, then I will refrain from that," Asgore mumbled. He shifted nervously from foot to foot. "Um...I suppose we should...l-leave..." He walked toward the door to the lounge.

Gaster slipped his phone back into the pocket of his robe. Since Asgore was turned away from him, he spoke in the other's mind again.

"What about the couch?" He fidgeted a little, partially out of nervousness and partially because he felt so damn hot and bothered.

"Um...I will have someone replace that," Asgore promised him. He then pressed his paw to his own forehead. "My guards are going to be very impolite about this. I apologize in advance." He looked toward Gaster again. "Please, do your absolute best not to give off...that aura..."

Gaster’s mind wandered back to the guard who gave interrupted their little get together at the castle to bring them wine. 

"Pft... Like the one who brought wine. His intentions were pretty obvious." Gaster didn't follow Asgore just yet, instead moving to the closet to pull out a tarp.

"I don't care if we go back to your castle, but I want to stop by my house first." He draped the tarp over the couch, internally cringing at the idea of anyone sitting on it now. Too unsanitary. "I need a change of clothes."

Asgore nodded in understanding. "I don't know where it is, so you'll have to lead the way." He bit his lip nervously. "You should probably...bring several, depending on...how long your heats usually last..."

"Mhm... I think you'll like the clothes I have at home. It's been awhile since I've had a chance to wear any of it." He brushed lightly against Asgore as he walked past him to the door. It was rather difficult to keep to himself. He wanted to jump him now.

"Oh?" Asgore's breath hitched in his throat as he felt Gaster's touch briefly. He followed the skeleton almost silently out of the lounge and eventually the lab. He did his best to stay composed, nerves overwhelming him.

[The note tacked on to the lounge door by Sans ended up unnoticed by the royal scientist as he left with the king in tow. It read, “Room under repairs. No entrance permitted. - W. D. Gaster.” The small monster may have been a dick sometimes, but he cared for his boss, and couldn’t bear the thought of someone else seeing him like that.]

There were a few scientists they passed on the way out, and during this time Gaster let nothing slip into his demeanor to hint that anything was out of the ordinary. He tucked his magic in close and private, hands hooked together behind his back, face expressionless as per usual, each step accompanied by the clicking noise of heels on the cold floor. He talked to Asgore during this time. 

"No one else can hear me talking to you, by the way, so you’d best not reply until we're out of the lab, lest you look like you're talking to yourself." Continuing on the topic of clothing, his voice rang out in Asgore's head again. "My outfits at home are very feminine. That's why I think you'd like them. Mature femininity; long dresses and skirts. Pretty and tasteful." 

They stepped out of the lab and into the uncomfortably warm air of Hotland, Gaster turning to look at Asgore and giving him a small smile.

Asgore's face heated as he was told this. As soon as they were out, he said. "What about me told you that I would like things like that?" he asked curiously with a returning smile as they continued walking.

"Well... You like me, and I am not the most masculine of monsters." He was leading them towards The Capital. The castle was also in that direction.

Asgore shrugged. "I suppose I hadn't put much thought into that aspect of my attraction." He wondered absently if Gaster was having difficulty controlling himself. In his own heats, he was...hard to hold back, to say the least.

"Do you like the way I walk?" he asked. "The sway of my hips? What about my heels? Do you find them pleasing?"

Asgore's eyes widened and he nearly tripped. His throat suddenly seemed drier than usual. "Y-yes, I...do..." He shamelessly ravaged Gaster with his gaze. "You are purposefully teasing me, are you not?"

"Feminine attributes. So it would make sense you'd like my wardrobe at home. I am just trying to better answer your previous question." Yes, he was purposefully teasing him.

Asgore huffed quietly. He was sure his magic betrayed his confused arousal and frustration. He thought briefly about Toriel. She was...nothing like Gaster, at all. Stature, personality, mannerisms. He didn't like to compare the two; in fact, it made him feel awful, but he did find it a bit odd that these 'feminine attributes' didn't seem anything like the female he'd been with. As a result, he hadn't really noticed that they were feminine.

"What about my robe? Do you like how it hugs close at the middle? I couldn't wear something so.. shapeless, and so I altered it myself. It hung down straight as a board, showed off nothing. But now it suits me much better."

During their walk Gaster had grown considerably more hot and bothered, partially because he was still in heat, and partially because he was bringing attention to his body like this.

"You may carry me now, if you still desire to."

Asgore couldn't find the words to respond, so he just closed the gap between them and scooped Gaster up in his arms. He had resumed his deep purring, figuring the vibrations were either comforting or arousing to Gaster, or both.

Luckily, over the years he had become quite skilled at self-restraint, which was something he was proud of. (He was glad he was good at it, because he didn't exactly wish for Mettaton to announce flamboyantly to the Underground that there was a "fling" between the King and his scientist.) He faltered several times as he walked, doing his best to keep himself balanced.

He was definitely losing his resolve to keep his arousal hidden.

It was true, Gaster did enjoy the king's purring, and he placed a hand on that broad chest to better feel it. Something about feeling it rather than just hearing it was pleasant. Gaster closed his eye socket as he concentrated on the feeling, though only for a few moments. He still needed to direct Asgore to his home. Other than instructing him on where to go, the skeleton decided not to bother with further conversation.

Asgore followed Gaster's directions diligently, doing his best not to let his purring turn into a sexually-frustrated growl. I’m not a teenager, he chided himself. I can wait.

After what seemed like an eternity and a few seconds simultaneously, the pair came upon Gaster's residence. Asgore reluctantly, gently placed Gaster on his feet, and hoped the delicateness with which he did so didn't offend the skeleton. He wasn't sure if he would think Asgore thought he was fragile...though the previous night's activities would probably make that thought disappear anyway.

Gaster pulled out his keys and wordlessly unlocked the door before stepping inside and flipping the light switch. The most noticeable thing upon entering the house was the piano in the living room. Judging from the dust, it was obvious it hadn't been used in a long time, longer than the rest of the house.

"Here we are... Home sweet home." He looked back past his shoulder at Asgore, wondering how much longer the King would control himself, or if he'd let loose now that they were alone.

"Do you...did you play?" Asgore asked a little sadly. He really did wish Gaster spent more time at home. Or...well...just more time off work in general...maybe with him...

He was unsure whether or not he should follow Gaster from this point. It was likely obvious that he was nervous. He resisted the very strong urge to mess with his ear.

It felt strange to Gaster to be back here. Even stranger still was to be here with a guest, but his mind was mostly focused on the sexual tension that lingered between them for some time now. It took him a few seconds to realize Asgore was referencing the piano.

"The piano? I did indeed." He turned to face Asgore and sat back on the piano, crossing a slim leg over the other. Why was the other so nervous all of a sudden?

Asgore stared, unsure whether or not Gaster's position was an invitation. His paw raised to his ear without his knowledge.

"I assume it hasn't been touched in...quite a while..." He was interested in talking about the piano, as it was something he didn't previously know about Gaster. But stars, at the moment, he was much more interested in the way Gaster was resting, the way his face was betraying more and more of his arousal.

"Ooh? I wonder what gave that away." Gaster said in jest, sounding amused. It was the dust, of course. "Are you going to come in?"

Asgore figured Gaster would get irritated if he didn't, so he crossed the room to close the distance between them, and leaned over Gaster. He caressed the side of his face ever so gently, staring into his eye sockets with a little more lust evident than previously.

"We're not going to make it to the castle today, are we?"

"That depends..." Gaster leaned lightly into the touch. This close, he felt Asgore's body heat and the lovely feeling of his magic's presence. He uncrossed his legs and spread them, lightly squeezing Asgore's sides. "On if we tire ourselves out or not."

Asgore shuddered and placed his other paw on Gaster's back. He pulled the skeleton flush against him, lifting him up just a bit so he could press his lips to Gaster's teeth. For the first time, he took initiative, sliding his tongue from one side of Gaster's teeth to the other with a soft groan.

Gaster wrapped his arms around Asgore's strong neck and parted his teeth, tongue emerging to rub against the other's. He gave a soft moan at the contact, arching his back forward to press himself closer against the massive monster whose arms he was wrapped up in.

Asgore had a brief thought about how dirty it was that he was likely about to bend Gaster over and take him on a piano, but that thought was quickly dulled and lost to his subconscious. He was moaning quietly every breath he took, a deep rumbling purr rattling his chest. He was grateful he wasn't too far gone yet, because if he was, he would definitely have torn the back of Gaster's robe just to get at his bare spine. Instead, he brought his paw slowly, teasingly, to Gaster's front, parted his robe, lifted his shirt, and groped at his spine from there. He still hadn't figured out exactly what made those bones tick, but he did his best, rubbing and pinching at several of the different vertebrae and their protrusions.

Gaster quivered at the attention to his spine. It was a sensitive thing, and Asgore's paw felt amazing upon it. It was especially sensitive at the skeleton's neck and near the pelvis.

The lust was overpowering now. He'd been refraining from letting it get the better of him since he woke this morning, but now he'd open the proverbial dam and release the flood, tongue insistent as it explored Asgore's mouth, long legs wrapping around the king's waist.

Asgore groaned deeply and grinded against Gaster. He scratched with a single claw at the base of the skeleton's skull, delighting in the shudder it produced. After a few more moments of heated kissing and groping, he pulled back to ask, "What...do you want?" in between shallow, panting breaths.

He was left a quivering mess after Asgore pulled away, and leaned back against the piano, propped up on his elbows. What he wanted to request made his face heat him. He debated signing it instead, not wanting Asgore to hear the stutter that would no doubt be in it.

"I...w-want you to...knot me..."

Asgore let out a shaky breath, face heating more than it already had.

"I...don't want to hurt you," he said carefully. "Stars know I want to do that-" there was a pause as he shuddered- "but I really don't want to hurt you."

He was shaking at this point, a combination of nerves and harsh breathing and deep purring, and he steadied himself with his paws on the piano on either side of Gaster.

"Hmm...just give it some thought.." He untangled his legs from Asgore and slipped his pants down, exposing his pelvis and the pussy his magic had created. A kick sent the pants falling down to the floor.

"You can't hurt me even if you are too rough with my...conjured assets... Even if it hurts at the time I would not be injured. S-so...I'd like to try it...though if you don't want to that's alright."

If he hadn't been asked what to do, Asgore would've dropped to his knees then. But they had plenty of time for that, so he resisted the urge for the moment.

"'Conjured assets' might be the least attractive way to describe this," he mumbled, mostly to himself. He undressed himself clumsily, and after grumbling as he tossed his clothes to the side, pressed his body against Gaster's, pushing him lightly against the piano.

"Have I told you how lovely you are?" he purred, gazing lovingly into his eye sockets. He leaned down and scraped his canines against Gaster's collarbone.

Gaster didn't fully pick up what Asgore mumbled, but didn't spend much time thinking about it as he watched Asgore undress. Then the other was upon him, pinning the skeleton down to the piano with his body weight alone. Gaster almost squeaked. 

"Y-yes... You have..." Oooh stars, he loved those teeth.

"I'm not too heavy, am I..?" Asgore asked, leaning back a bit. "You have to be a tenth of my weight. I don't want to crush you." He smoothed the pads of his paw against Gaster's sternum and slid it along his ribs.

"N-no, you weren't resting your weight on me, just hovering it above me."

He wanted Asgore so badly right now. He wasn't sure how much longer he could wait, still in heat as he was. He gripped the edge of the piano with his hands, squirming a bit where he lay, legs on either side of Asgore's hips.

"I love how much bigger you are than me," he said softly.

Asgore's breath hitched in his throat, and his next exhalation was a deep rumbling groan. "I'm...g-glad you do..." He grinded against him desperately. "Sta-ars, Gaster," he breathed heavily, and brought his paw down to the skeleton's conjured entrance. Admittedly impatient, he pushed two of his fingers inside, a soft moan leaving his mouth at the feeling of Gaster's magic clenched around them.

Gaster exhaled shakily as Asgore began to grind against him like that, and when two fingers slipped inside, he arched his back again and moaned. Asgore's fingers were large, but Gaster was in heat and easily took them in, so wet already. He tilt his head to the side, eye socket half closed and hips twitching.

Asgore let out a soft whine and curled his fingers inside Gaster, trying his best to find his sweet spot. His breath became increasingly labored, and the paw that was beside Gaster's head now palmed his own weeping arousal. He was suddenly appreciative of the strength of his lower back.

"Gaster..." His lips and tongue met the skeleton's teeth, and he groaned a little too loudly for his liking.

Gaster kissed Asgore again, hands shooting up to cup the sides of the king's face as his tongue met the other's.

A useful advantage to speaking directly into one's mind was that Gaster's words weren't inhibited in any way by their wrestling tongues.

"Asgore... That f-feels...wonderful..." The way those fingers curled within him was driving him wild, tentacles grabbing at things, the legs of the piano and at the massive boss monster.

Asgore hummed into his mouth in response. The thrusts of his fingers became rough, thumb occasionally brushing against Gaster's clit (that was swollen and likely over-sensitive due to heat), and it was clear that he intended to make the skeleton come many times before they were done.

Gaster tilt his head back, pressing himself fully back against the piano, panting.

"O-oh god.." He curled his fingers in front of his mouth. "You're- ah- gonna make me come i-if you keep this up.. And you haven't e-even...sh-sheathed yourself inside me yet."

"Mhm..." Asgore hummed, and if he hadn't been as far gone as he was, he would've smirked. "You make such...hah, such l-lovely sounds, you know," he whispered against the side of his skull. "Though the things you say are...rather lewd..." He dipped his muzzle down and swiped his tongue underneath his jaw. "Not that...h-hah, not that I'm complaining..." He had not stopped the movements of his paw; in fact, they had become faster, and rougher. His other paw came to rest on Gaster's hip, and that thumb rubbed in gentle circles, contrasting with the vicious thrusting of his other paw.

Gaster would have mentioned he'd never been given that compliment before, that he makes lovely sounds, if he wasn't so preoccupied squirming in pleasure as Asgore finger fucked him. Gaster saw stars. The king was doing this just right and it was rapidly bringing him to completion. So close...so close - and then he was tipped over the edge. If he weren't laying down, his legs would have buckled beneath him at the power of his orgasm, magic clenching tight around those fingers, the skeleton crying out.

Asgore milked him of everything he had, though his thrusts were considerably gentler. His breath was increasingly shallow and harsh, incredibly aroused by Gaster's sounds, movements, the feeling of the magic surrounding him and gushing out around his fingers.

The fact that Asgore's fingers were still thrusting in and out made Gaster's orgasm last longer and feel better. When it finally ended, he was left panting heavily against the piano, tentacles loosening their grip on the piano legs and Asgore.

After he was clearly spent, Asgore, much too far gone to hesitate, tilted Gaster's head toward him, pulled his fingers out and licked them clean. His long, flat tongue snaked out around them, and his eyes were almost completely shut, pupils blown so far his bright red irises were barely visible.

That was...hot... So, so hot, and Gaster felt like he was on fire, and he wanted Asgore to do whatever he wanted to him. 

"O-oh...oh my..." Gaster had such a lustful look on his face and he tried to hide it, grinning behind his hand. His magic was full of endearment.

Asgore's gaze flitted away from Gaster, still gently licking at his fingers. He...didn't exactly want to get viscous, liquid magic anywhere it shouldn't be.

"Do you need a break?" he asked breathlessly after he was done 'cleaning' himself, still leaning over Gaster, need more than simple lust in his eyes.

"N-no... I'm good to go... Eager for more, really..." Gaster was still partially hiding his flushed face with his hands. 

"You're so..." How to describe it? The word 'hot' didn't do it justice. It's not as if Gaster was doing this with Asgore just because the other had the body type Gaster found most appealing. "Well, you have a way with me. I'll just leave it at that."

Asgore hummed in appreciation of the compliment, and leaned in to lap and nibble at Gaster's collarbone once more. He moved his muzzle along his sternum and to the other side of his collarbone slowly as he grinded against him, somewhat impressed that his magic hadn't dispersed even a little.

He took a deep breath, obviously in preparation to say something. "Tell me what you...w-want me to do to you. In d-detail." His face was still buried in Gaster's neck, and after his words he resumed his ministrations on the thin bones.

Gaster's arms were around Asgore's neck again as the other lavished his collarbone in attention. Those tentacle-like appendages moved to Asgore's back in a hug of sorts, their owner wanting to keep the large monster responsible for making him feel so good close.

"In detail, hm..?" he said between the little sounds and gasps of pleasure. "I didn't know you could be this perverse, or this forward, but I'm not complaining..."

Gaster took one of those delicate looking ears between his teeth and nipped. "You already know what I want you to do to me. Knot me... You want to, don't you, but you're worried about hurting me. I have to admit, that's one of your charms. Such a caring soul..."

He gripped the horn opposite the ear his mouth toyed with. "If you won't do that then just do whatever else you want with me. Just...give me more of you, Sire..."

The scientist hadn't called Asgore 'Sire' in a while. In this instance, it was a form of endearment.

Asgore whined in pleasure when his ear was bitten. His breathing sped up at Gaster’s words and he let out a deep groan. "Hah, yes..." was all he could manage to say. It was clear the effect Gaster's word's had on the king, especially the use of his title in such a way. He moved his paw to Gaster's iliac crest and scratched it a little more roughly than he had previously. He was losing whatever sliver of composure remained in him.

He was panting hard now, rutting roughly against Gaster. "Are you...hah, r-ready?" he asked in a soft moan.

Gaster found himself wanting to see Asgore lose control. He wanted Asgore to give him everything he had. Did this desire stem just from being in heat? Maybe. Probably. But even in heat he wouldn't want a monster he didn't trust. Somehow he was confident that even if Asgore threw away all reserves and lost himself completely to lust, he would not hurt him. Fuck him silly. Fuck him until he was unconscious, maybe, but not hurt him.

Focusing on this feeling of trust, he knew the other could feel it. Gaster's magic reached out to Asgore's own, brushing against the other's like gentle fingertips. There was so much endearment there, trust, yearning, and something akin to love. He let Asgore feel it all while the movements of the large monster's hips against him drove him wild.

"Yes..."

"Gaster, hah..." Asgore shamelessly felt him up, paws running all over his bones, his ribs and collarbones, up and down his arms, grasping at his pelvis and femurs. He took a moment to try and compose himself, realizing that he was actually shaking.

The king didn't waste any time, lining himself up and sinking his whole length in Gaster's absolutely exquisite pussy in a single thrust, still in actual awe at just how good it felt around him. He stayed there for a few moments, trying his best to collect himself before he totally lost it.

After a few painfully long moments, he pulled almost all the way back and thrusted back into Gaster at almost full force, arms around him to ensure that he wasn't slammed back against the piano. He let out a deep groan, breathing harsh and shallow.

Gaster found himself enjoying more and more the feeling of being vulnerable to this man, those large paws upon him, feeling him up, making Gaster feel so small, but so wonderful.

And he hadn't failed to notice Asgore was shaking. It sent a jolt of excitement down his spine...knowing Asgore wanted him so badly.

"Ah..!" So big... So, so big, but Gaster's soaked pussy took him in easily enough. It helped that he'd already come once already too, loosening him up a bit. When Asgore pulled his hips back then slammed forward with such force, Gaster cried out louder, gripping at the king's clothes, tentacles writhing. One of them smacked the piano keys. Several of them were still at Asgore's back, wanting to keep him close. Others were gripping again at the piano and its legs. Gaster himself was quivering with how good it felt to be filled again, even if it once again felt overwhelming to take in all this girth.

Asgore was very quickly losing his ability to hold back. It was a combination of things: the long, excruciating walk here, the feeling of Gaster's heat soaking into his own soul, the explicit trust Gaster was giving him, the size of him. He was tiny, and compared to the king, rather frail. And that turned him on endlessly. He found that odd, considering usually he wasn't a fan of being larger and stronger than literally everyone else in the Underground, but...with Gaster, it was exhilarating.

He was half purring, half growling as he fucked ruthlessly into Gaster. He leaned back a bit to get a good look at Gaster's face, and moaned loudly at the sight of that incredibly lewd expression on a normally stoic face. "You are...hahn, so...b-beautiful, Gaster."

Gaster's expression was lewd indeed. He looked so lost in pleasure, eye socket halfway closed, teeth parted as each rough thrust inside got a gasp or a cry out of him. He gazed up at the king, feeling some sort of...something between them that wasn't just physical. For a brief moment he looked away, but his gaze returned to the other despite the burst of shyness, wanting to look at him.

"Complimenting me like that e-even now? How e-embarrassing.." Gaster covered the side of his blushing face with a hand, concealing only half of his smile.

Asgore was about to ask if Gaster didn't like being complimented in that way, but then he saw the gentle smile on his teeth, and tears pricked in the corners of his eyes. He turned his gaze upward to keep them from falling and brought his lips to the corner of Gaster's mouth.

Now that he had seemed to get his burst of lustful energy out, his movements had become gentler, more sensual, less frantic. He kept littering little kisses over Gaster’s face, and his paws were still roaming his body, but now they were less groping and more caressing.

"I...ah, I'm sorry if I'm being too...sappy. With this." He gazed to the side, a little embarrassed. "I know you're i-in heat, and it isn't what you need...but, hah, I can't help being like this with you."

Oooh... Oooh dear, Asgore was being extremely sweet again. It seems whatever animalistic lust had taken over the king had been overridden by his usual sweetness. The change was sudden, surprising Gaster, but this was...fine. The royal scientist would have been lying if he said his soul didn't flutter at the way Asgore lavished him with kisses. As for the gentler movements of Asgore's hips, well.. that was fine too. It just meant Gaster would last longer. Though...not too much longer. That dick was still huge. It didn't matter how slowly it thrust into him. It still caressed his insides in all the right ways.

Gaster was pressing his face against that soft neck now, one of his hands buried in golden hair. He was going to say something, but let out a shuddering breath instead, pleasure building up so much he felt like he'd soon burst.

"You're- mmhm- f-fine... T-this is good...so...a-ah...oooh goodness.." His magic squeezed. He was getting tighter the closer he grew to release.

"Ah, stars, Gaster, keep doing that and I'm not going to...be able to..." He trailed off, unable to bring himself to say such a lewd thing regarding himself. His breath was deep and heavy, and the heat between his legs was searing. His half-purring, half-growling had turned into a hundred percent purring, rumbling in his chest in a deep bass tone.

"Gaster, you...you feel so, so good. Oh stars, you feel so good..." He let out a soft whine and brought his paw down to where their bodies connected, and rubbed gently but insistently at his clit. He was quickly becoming addicted to the way Gaster looked and felt when he was like this.

Perhaps this time Gaster wouldn't have been the one to come first if Asgore didn't go for his clit. Since he did, quite well, Gaster was soon brought to orgasm, the pressure inside him building and building until it was all released at once in an explosion of pleasure and magical fluids, passage clenching around Asgore's dick like it never wanted to let go. He moaned out the king's name, clinging to his shoulders like his life depended on it.

"Oh, oh," Asgore cried as he felt the incredibly tight heat around him. Gaster was already so tight that it was more than overwhelming when he came. It brought him almost immediately to his own climax, pumping his seed deep into Gaster with a loud groan of his name, thrusting weakly through it.

After a few moments his knot started to swell, and he carefully watched Gaster's face to make sure he wasn't hurting the skeleton. His muzzle hung open wide, panting hard, and his eyes were half-closed, the feeling of Gaster's magic surrounding him, becoming tighter and tighter, still getting to him.

Gaster's magic had yet to disperse, Asgore's swelled knot forcing him to keep in all those fluids. And what a big knot it was, stretching him even further. Gaster winced as he waited to adjust to the feeling. If he was made of flesh, it might have torn. At least, that's what he felt like.

But he liked it, almost proud of himself for keeping his magic solidified. At any moment he could simply make his conjured pussy disappear, leaving Asgore's dick without its wetness and its warmth. And with nothing to hold it, all the fluids would fall out onto his spine, and his robe, and it would make such a mess.

But Gaster wasn't thinking about the mess. Panting heavily against the piano, he was thinking about the weird masochistic pleasure he received from the pain of being knotted by his very loving king. And it wasn't all pain; there was still pleasure there too.

"Ohh my god..." His voice was quivering, gaze entirely unfocused. "So that's what it's like..."

He wasn't going to tell Asgore straight up that it hurt, but perhaps the king could feel that in his magic, as well as his strange liking of it. Gaster certainly wasn't letting off any feeling of wanting to escape from it. Quite the opposite. He was still enjoying their closeness.

"S-so...w-wow..."

Asgore leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to Gaster's forehead. "Are you doing okay?" he asked quietly, now nuzzling against the side of his skull. His knot was now fully expanded, and stars, if the tightness didn't make Asgore want to wreck Gaster all over again. "Stars, Gaster...you feel...p-perfect..." His paws didn't seem to know what to do, roaming from Gaster's face to his shoulders and ribs, to the side of the piano, to Gaster's hips, and back again.

"I'm...f-fine..." came his quivering voice. His entire body felt so sensitive right now, Asgore's nuzzling and the roaming of his paws upon his bones feeling close to overwhelming.

He wondered briefly if Toriel ever handled this knot well. For some reason, thinking of her made Gaster feel momentarily jealous, a ridiculous notion considering the ex-queen was no longer in his life.

An ivory hand moved down between their bodies. He touched gently the outside of his magic encasing Asgore's cock, hand over where it was swelled the most, where the knot stretched him from the inside.

"You're just...so big...I don't think I'll ever get used to it. But it's delightful."

The king placed his hand over Gaster's and pushed gently. "Hopefully you...d-don't get used to it. If you l-like it that much," he said softly. The statement was genuine rather than purposefully teasing.

He pressed kisses all over Gaster's face, kneading slowly over Gaster's hand, so much smaller than his paw. "Gaster...do you...want to c-come again?" he asked in a soft whisper. "Or i-is it too much?"

As that large paw placed itself over his own hand and gently pushed, Gaster lightly winced. After all, it was pressing down on the outside of his magic encasing Asgore's dick, and the fit was already tight enough. It was an interesting feeling, though. The skeleton felt warm all over, and something like electricity coursed up and down his spine.

His free hand was clutching tightly at Asgore's shirt, and he was trying to stay still, trying not to move his hips as he knew it would hurt while knotted like this.

"Ngh...I'm not sure... This is already so much. M-maybe..?"

Asgore's paw left its perch over Gaster's. "Take this at your pace," he spoke gently. "This is all for you." He pressed his lips gently to Gaster's cheekbone. "If there is anything you'd like me to do, please let me know." He leaned back and smiled warmly down at him. "I want this to feel as amazing for you as it does for me."

Gaster was silent for a few moments as he looked up at that smile, contemplating the king and his own feelings. The hand previously gripping at Asgore's shirt moved along his shoulder and gently up along his neck. It stopped travelling once it reached the side of Asgore's face, gently cupping it, thumb stroking lovingly.

"You're perfect..."

Asgore leaned into the touch, wondering if Gaster could feel just how hot his face was. "Not as perfect as you, Gaster." His voice was a gentle, deep purr, his gaze soft and loving. He closed his eyes and purred, a quiet rumble resonating through his chest. "You are everything that is good in the world."

Everything that's good in the world, huh? Gaster strongly disagreed, though still felt extremely flattered at the compliment. He didn't want to shatter Asgore's image of him, but...

"I've done many bad things in my lifetime, Asgore..."

"You say that as if I have not," Asgore said gently, eyes still full of love, but tinted with a sad glaze. "You have a good soul. And I believe I know better than most how to tell that." He pressed a soft kiss to Gaster's forehead. "Do you think I would love you if I did not see you as such an exquisite being? You have given up your life for so many. For me." He smiled warmly. "And that is something not many monsters would do."

Gaster's soul felt like it was doing flips as he listened to Asgore's words. He wrapped his arms around the other's neck and buried his face against him again. "You're too sweet... Thank you..."

How long was that knot going to stay swollen, he wondered, though he wouldn't mind being locked together with Asgore like this for a while longer. 

Was he falling in love? He definitely felt something foreign.

Asgore's purring deepened, and he placed his arms gently around Gaster. He tried not to think too much about their connection; he had softened just a bit and didn't particularly want to stretch Gaster too much more.

He was almost on the verge of falling asleep, incredibly comfortable. He...wouldn't exactly mind staying like this a while longer.

Gaster liked this. He liked being held within those strong arms that were so gentle with him, the closeness of their bodies, and miraculously, he was growing accustomed to the size of Asgore's knot too.

It was some indeterminate amount of time before the swelling of his knot started to go down. His breath hitched softly as he pulled out, doing his best to be as gentle as possible. Gaster was sure to be incredibly oversensitive.

Gaster bit back a moan when Asgore finally pulled out. He gave a shudder, hugging Asgore tighter for a moment before he loosened his hold, though he didn't separate from him just yet. He knew he'd miss Asgore's warmth.

Purple magic still held its form, his hole loose after that huge cock occupied it for so long.

He really needed a shower.

Asgore pressed the side of his muzzle against Gaster's skull. He took the skeleton's hand and brought it to his lips, giving it a gentle kiss.

"Gaster...do you feel alright?" he asked quietly. "Do you want to go lay down or something? This...isn't exactly the most comfortable situation for either of us." His face heated up, and he thought, I literally just made love to my royal scientist on a piano.

"Speak for yourself. I'm rather comfortable, but I'm also the one laying down while you've been standing this entire time." Asgore's face felt hot. What a darling.

"I was just thinking about how I need a shower and I should throw this robe of mine in the wash. My shower might be big enough for you to use as well...though it would probably be a tight fit."

 _You know all about tight fits, though, don't you, Sire?_ /p>

Oh dear, that thought was absolutely lewd.

Asgore hummed softly. "If there's still enough hot water after your shower, I will." He paused and nuzzled Gaster's cheek for a moment before asking, "Are you sure you've got enough strength for a shower..?"

Gaster closed his eye socket for a moment as he enjoyed Asgore's warmth and that affectionate nuzzle given. He stroked the side of that furry face. "Positive."

Asgore purred softly and leaned into Gaster's touch. "Don't push yourself too hard. That was...likely pretty strenuous for you..." He coughed awkwardly, his purring stuttering for a few seconds. "I wasn't too rough, was I..?"

"I am unharmed, Asgore," Gaster said softly, enjoying the feeling of the king purring against him.

"Good." The king held Gaster close against him for a few more minutes before separating. Suddenly he was much too self-conscious, though he was reluctant to put clothes back on after making such a mess of himself. He felt disgusting; he just didn't particularly enjoy the feeling of drying jizz all over his fur.

Gaster sat up, crossing his legs while directing a tentacle to pick up his discarded pants off the floor. Was that discomfort he felt from Asgore's magic?

"Would you like to shower first?" he offered.

"I think you need it more than I do," Asgore said, shrugging. "I can certainly wait. If it was for you, I would wait forever." He turned his heated face away after he realized what he'd said. He unnecessarily cleared his throat and started messing with his ear.

"Forever, hm?" Gaster smiled a bit at that before hopping off the piano, robe closing around him. "Well, I'll try not to keep you waiting more than five minutes or so. Make yourself at home in the meantime."

Asgore hadn't realized just how exhausted he was until Gaster had excused himself for a shower, and he was left to wait. He supposed the momentum of everything was what kept him going; now that everything was slowed down, everything caught up to him, and he felt like he might pass out. He hung out in Gaster's bedroom (as the bathroom was connected) and noticed the state of everything in it. It looked like Gaster hadn't been home in...months, at least. Maybe years. It deeply worried the king; he'd known Gaster was overworking himself, but he had assumed he went home sometimes.

He leaned against the wall and closed his eyes, content for the moment to wait patiently for Gaster to return.


	10. Pillow (Piano?) Talk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> again.. apologies for taking so long on this. a lot of shit is going on in my life right now. hopefully yall dont mind too much ;w;

True to his word, Gaster stepped back out of the bathroom in what was around five to six minutes. He stood there wearing only a pink towel wrapped around himself, feeling extremely uncomfortable. Even while having sex, Gaster still wore more clothes than this. A pretty lavender brush spread over his face which he tried and failed to suppress.

'The shower is all yours now. Take as long as you need. I am going to get rid of some of this dust in the meantime.' He signed that, feeling far too embarrassed right now to use his voice.

Asgore nodded and retreated to the bathroom, but not before placing a gentle kiss on the top of Gaster's skull.

He tried not to spend a terribly long time in the shower, but being covered in fur, it was difficult to get clean in a short amount of time. He found he didn't quite want to get out, as the warmth of the water felt incredibly nice on the muscles he'd recently realized were incredibly sore.

Hands were everywhere wiping down the furniture and the walls with moist paper towels to clear away the dust. Gaster himself was sitting at his piano, facing away from it so as to be facing towards the center of the room. One leg was crossed over the other, pretty black heels peeking out from under a beautiful, long red skirt with no 'tentacles' to be seen. He was wearing a fancy looking black top with it, the material it was made out of shining a bit in the light. A simple black choker adorned his thin neck.

Asgore walked into the room. He knew Gaster had, well, a lot of hands...but it was a little unsettling to see so many of them in motion like that.

He looked (stared) at Gaster, and suddenly felt under-dressed. The skeleton had been right when he assumed Asgore would like his clothes; it was hard for him to tear his eyes away.

"You look...good," he stated awkwardly, unsure of what would be a fitting compliment.

Gaster looked at Asgore and smiled before his gaze drifted off to the side, obviously shy.

'Thank you. It's been a long time since I've worn anything I keep here at home so I feel a tad odd.'

A little exposed, even, without the tentacle-like appendages. To Gaster, they acted not just as extra limbs, but weapons if he ever needed them, though it had been a long time since he used them as such.

'I do feel pretty, though.'

Asgore sat down on the piano's bench next to Gaster and placed an arm around his waist. "You should always feel pretty," he said softly, pulling the skeleton close to him. "I did not realize how exhausted I was until a while ago. I feel like I could sleep for days." He nuzzled Gaster's jaw with the top of his muzzle. "Though I will continue to help you if you need it. It is not as if I haven't been tired before."

Gaster was unresisting as he was pulled close to the king. He relaxed against him, closing his eye socket partially, though not all the way, since he needed to see what he was doing, still wiping up the dust. The room was looking far better already, and the piano was shining, having been the first thing he cleaned. He'd pulled out the wood polisher for that.

He didn't want to pull away to sign. He could always use one of his conjured hands to do that, but he should probably use his voice again, shouldn't he? He knew Asgore liked it.

"I appreciate that, though I don't need any continued 'help' at the moment, Asgore dear." Gaster nuzzled himself beneath Asgore's chin. "I'm not done with my heat, but I feel sated for the moment. You're...very good."

The hands moved their paper towels to the trash bin before disappearing.

"Ah...I'm...glad you think so," Asgore said, immediately flustered. He wasn't used to such heartfelt compliments as Gaster gave him, and he had called him 'dear.'

"Gaster...how long has it been since you spent time here?" His voice was gentle and soft, backed by a deep purring that wasn't intentional; it just _happened_ around Gaster. He made him feel so content.

No longer manipulating all those extra magical hands, Gaster closed his eyes as he leaned against the goat monster, enjoying the rumbling in the man's chest that was a result of his purring. _So nice..._

"I don't know," Gaster replied honestly.

Asgore huffed in disapproval. "You seriously overwork yourself," he said, though he was aware that he was stating the obvious. "You must know that the more exhausted you are, the lower the quality of your work will become. And the rest you get at your lab cannot be very good." He sighed softly. "I wish you took better care of yourself..."

"I hope it will ease your worrying to know that I feel better right now than I have in a long time. I feel refreshed and...content." Gaster placed a hand over one of Asgore's large paws. "I'm sorry you're so tired. You’ve really worn yourself out for me, haven't you?"

"It has certainly been worth it to see you so relaxed," Asgore purred quietly. "I will gladly do this anytime you wish." He smiled warmly; in their current position Gaster couldn't see his expression, but it was plain in his magic that he was incredibly happy. "You have...definitely brought out a side of me I have not seen or even thought of in quite a while." His tone was more amused than anything else.

"The sexual appetite?" Gaster felt the happiness in Asgore's magic, putting the skeleton further at ease. It was comfortable.

"It sounds bad when you say it like that," Asgore protested; his tone sounded irritated but his magic stated otherwise. "But yes. I was honestly not aware just how much you...affect me." He rubbed his chin gently on the top of Gaster's skull. "Gaster, you are beautiful in so many ways. I truly cannot express with words the intensity of the feelings I have for you."

Asgore had a way of stunning Gaster with the love and sweetness behind his words. He felt warm, though it was the sort of warmth that comes from feeling overwhelmingly loved and shy as a result, and his cheekbones tinted purple with magic. He didn't know what to say in response, and was quiet for what to him felt like a long moment.

"Thank you... I'm honestly not sure how to reply to that. I'm still surprised you've taken such a liking to me in the first place." One hand still over a large paw, his other moved to the piano keys, playing a few notes.

Asgore let out a sound akin to a giggle. “Of course I have...how could I resist someone as charming as yourself?” he said, only half teasing. His gaze followed the movement of Gaster's hand, entranced in a way by the way it moved seemingly effortlessly. He listened intently to the sounds, flattered and ecstatic that Gaster would play for him.

"There's much we still don't know about each other,” Gaster spoke softly. He was only playing a few simple strings of notes experimentally, like an artist who hadn't picked up a pencil in what felt like forever testing out the feel out of it within their hands once more. Within barely any time at all, he felt comfortable with it again. He pulled his hand away and rested it on his lap.

Asgore hummed happily and nuzzled into Gaster. "Indeed. I will be happy to spend time with you and learn."

Gaster smiled, face warming at the gentle display of affection. "I'm comfortable enough with you, so...if you have any questions for me I'll answer them as best I can. I know you'd do the same for me."

Asgore nodded. "Hmm...I suppose I would like to hear exactly what you think of me. And how you thought of me before...all of this." He took Gaster's hand in his paw and squeezed it gently.

Gaster wasn't expecting that to be the first question Asgore would throw at him. He assumed the other would first ask him why he goes about his life using sign language if he can speak directly in another's mind. He wasn't put off by this question, though, gaze focused on that large paw holding his smaller hand.

"I never formed an opinion about you until the first time I met you in person, as one should not judge another based solely off word of mouth. Everything your subjects had to say about you was kind, I assure you, but it didn't mean anything to me because I had yet to know you, nor did I care to go out of my way to try and acquaintance myself with royalty. Titles mean very little to me. I do not place celebrities on a pedestal.

"As for when we first met, the words that immediately came to mind was this: overeager though charming. Hmm...kind to a fault. You seemed like a big pushover, honestly. Either you were actually this humble despite being a king or you were trying too hard to win me over. That was when you approached me with the request to take on the role of royal scientist. 

"Oh, and I thought you were cute, just my type of monster, but it's not in my nature to pursue someone just because they're pleasing to look at."

The hand not within Asgore's paw toyed delicately with the fabric of his skirt.

"I'm not sure when it was I decided I liked you more than most. There are plenty of nice monsters - most of us are - but I do not take a kind disposition at face value. I am not under the illusion that kindness on the outside means kindness on the inside. Then...then there's you. At some point, I came to the conclusion that you're all genuine. 

"It wasn't enough to persuade me to try and maintain a friendship, as social connections are not one of my priorities, but I found myself...not annoyed with your presence. That's a lot coming from me. I like being alone. Eventually I started to like when you came around, though I'm sure I seemed indifferent with how inexpressive I can be. I still kept my distance, though. I don't like letting others close." 

Gaster looked up at the king, waiting to see if he had something to say before continuing.

Asgore smiled warmly as he listened intently to Gaster's words, with his deep purring as background noise. "I am glad that you did not take my kindness at face value, Gaster. It does make me feel more confident that you trusted me over time instead of seeing me as most monsters do." He pressed a gentle kiss to the top of Gaster's skull. "And I am very happy that you have let me in, per se."

"You seem to be under the impression that monsterkind loves you simply because you are king." Gaster closed his eye socket and leaned against him again, focusing on that purring once more.

"They love you because you treat everyone like a friend. They love you because they trust you. They love you because you are a huge, loveable dork. I know there are the few who do indeed fawn over you simply because you are royalty, but as far as I can see, most of the kingdom loves you because you are sweet...

"I'm just less trusting than others... And more reclusive... I kept my distance for so, so long. I could see you wanted my friendship and I still did not let you in, not because I didn't trust you, but just because keeping my distance is...what I do..."

Sans was the first friend he'd allowed himself to have in a long, long time.

"Sans thought I 'had the hots for you,' and I think it's because I never shooed you away while I was trying to work." Gaster laughed softly at that. "And perhaps he caught on to the fact I enjoyed your praise when you complimented me on my work. I never thought I showed any outward signs that I did, but that boy is very perceptive, though his assumption I was romantically interested in you was wrong.

"It wasn't until you asked me to come to the castle when you needed comforting that I started to let you in, I think...even though my departure had been...swift. A love confession was certainly not something I expected..." Gaster sounded sad as he continued. "But, ah, before that, when you were in tears and confiding in me your sorrows… It hurt to see you like that. I really, really didn't want to see you like that. I decided I'd try my best to make you see how wonderful you are and to comfort you.

"I generally want to keep others out, but I think it was in those moments I couldn't hold back at least a little affection from forming."

Asgore almost teared up. For someone like Gaster to open up to him was...incredible, to say the least. He nuzzled gently at Gaster's cheek.

"I am...elated that you want me in your life. I am aware that you don’t generally make time for personal relationships, and it makes me happier than I can express." He sighed, a little sadly. "My...l-love for you is...hard to put into words. Or even actions. I feel that I cannot properly express to you how I feel. I hope that over time I can do that..."

His eyes were lidded with sleepiness, though he was trying hard to fight it off. He wanted this moment to go on forever.

"Believe me, I feel your love well enough. You're plenty expressive, Asgore. But, ah, to conclude what I was saying, how I feel for you right now is definitely more than just a little affection... You've treated me so well."

Gaster wasn't sure if there were romantic feelings budding within his soul, but it sure was deeper affection than he'd felt for the king previously.

"You mentioned you were tired. Rest, if you'd like. I'll go out and buy us something to eat. I'm...afraid to look in my refrigerator." _How long has it been since I’ve been home?_

Asgore chuckled softly. "Thank you, Gaster. Is there somewhere in particular that would be good for me to wait for you..?" He hummed softly. "Though, I must admit, it will be hard to be apart from you after spending such a long amount of time together."

"I'm sure you'll manage while I'm gone." Gaster teased, smiling up at Asgore. It was truly touching that he would miss him. "Make yourself at home. There's the couch here, but I think my bed would be much more comfortable."

"Wake me up if you find me asleep, lovely." Asgore brought Gaster's hand to his muzzle and kissed it gently. He reluctantly separated from him, magic caressing him once more before he retreated to the bedroom, where he promptly passed out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> by the way - if anyone feels they could help, im trying *so hard* to come up with a name for this au. Hopetale was my first idea, but theres already one called that..so...  
> (i would call it gaster-isnt-fucking-dead-and-sans-isnt-fucking-depressed-tale but thats not exactly catchy or practical...)


	11. Self-Indulgence With Some Plot Thrown In

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> gosh this thing has over 50 kudos already?? im so blessed omg... just a reminder that this fic is not totally mine! my friend (who prefers to remain anonymous) has both written Gaster's bits and supplied a healthy amount of ideas!  
> ive been editing everything into a nice fic format, though.  
> anyway, thank you guys so much! im so happy aaaa

The skeleton got a lot done in the time his king slept. He'd gone grocery shopping in the capital, gathered up the courage to clean out his fridge (Which was a frightening task. He'd slaughtered monsters and people alike and felt less than he did while cleaning out and then thoroughly disinfecting this fridge), and prepared a nice breakfast for the both of them.

Gaster smiled when he entered the bedroom. Asgore looked so peaceful when he slept. He knew Asgore told him to wake him up, but Gaster couldn't do it. He'd let him sleep. He set the plate on the side table, a large omelette filled with vegetables and a glass of orange juice, before leaving the room to eat his own omelette. When he was finished he put his plate in the sink, making a mental note to dust the rest of the house later. 

For now, he'd settle in front of his piano and play sweet music.

The smell of food woke Asgore within a few minutes, which was certainly a rather nice thing to wake up to. He took a sip of the juice; he hadn't realized just how thirsty he was, and downed it easily. (Gaster...hadn't thought about the amount of food and drink Asgore needed in relation to his size, had he?) He ate the entire omelette within a few seconds and made his way out of the bedroom with the empty plate and cup. He paused in the hall when he heard the sound of the piano being played. His face heated, and his soul swelled with intense emotion. He remained there for several minutes, afraid that if Gaster noticed him, he'd stop playing.

After a few moments of sheepish staring, Asgore walked out into the open, set his plate on the floor, and sat beside Gaster on the piano bench.

The skeleton’s fingers paused for a moment upon the piano keys as he felt Asgore's presence, momentarily embarrassed. It was a very slight pause, though, and he continued playing immediately after.

"I'd forgotten how much I loved this..." Gaster said after Asgore seated himself. The scientist was trying hard to ignore how his heat cycle was making him feel aroused again.

Asgore was silent, just appreciating the calming sounds of an aged piano. He shifted a little closer and placed his paw on Gaster's femur. He pretended not to notice the sliver of arousal in Gaster's magic, but as he wasn't used to suppressing his own feelings, they were perfectly evident, though he didn't make any sort of movement, besides a subtle shift of his legs.

Gaster didn't say anything else, just continuing to play the piano as he felt Asgore's paw rest upon his leg. He liked it there, his good eye socket closing a bit as he concentrated on the music and the warmth of the body next to him.

Asgore's gaze shifted back and forth from Gaster's hands to his face. He felt a rush of love pulse through his soul at the look of contentment on Gaster's face. He brushed his lips briefly against Gaster's cheekbone and smiled.

"There is so much to love about you." His voice was low and soft and his tone was loving and gentle. He tried his best to keep the rumbling of his purring in his chest and throat to a minimum so they both could focus on the music.

Gaster didn't hold himself in the highest of regards, but he wasn't going to argue. "And much to love about you. Did you sleep well?"

"I did, yes," he replied quietly. "Heat is an odd thing, isn't it? Seems like until it's over you never tire." He nuzzled Gaster's skull gently.

"I think the source of my vigor today is simply because I got a good night's rest with you. I don't usually sleep so well, if at all."

Gaster smiled a bit thinking back on how after they were done fucking, they slept together on the couch in the lab's lounge room. How was Sans holding up today as the boss in charge during Gaster's absence? Had Sans even read the text, he wondered, though it was difficult to think about that for too long while Asgore's paw was still on his femur.

"When did you learn to play?" Asgore asked softly.

"Well, I learned to play piano when monsterkind still lived on the surface. I would dedicate hours and hours everyday to this,” Gaster explained, with a barely detectable aura of pride.

"It certainly paid off," Asgore hummed appreciatively. "You truly are an incredible being, Gaster. Quite lovely." His gaze returned to Gaster's hands and watched them closely, in love with the delicate, seemingly effortless way they moved.

"Goodness. It is such a privilege to know you, let alone be so close to you." He paused, magic expressing his sudden worry. "Am I...talking too much...? Or...g-getting too, um...sappy?"

Gaster was beginning to blush heavily as Asgore continued lavishing him in compliments.

"You're fine..." was his soft sounding reply to Asgore's worries. "I'm just not used to being praised this much. I'm not quite sure how to handle it." He finished up the song and then brought a hand to his own blushing face.

Asgore hummed softly. "And you look just as lovely as you are." He was beginning to enjoy teasing Gaster in this way. "Maybe as we spend more time together...I will get to see the rest of your wardrobe, hmm?"

He placed several kisses on Gaster's skull, nuzzling into the warmth of his blushing.

"I'm not sure how many times I have said this, or how many more I will in the future, but...you are lovely, Gaster. So, so lovely."

Was it possible for Gaster to feel even more embarrassed than he did in this moment? So much affection, both verbal and physical. So much praise. Gaster wasn't sure what to do with himself. And now he was imagining modeling his gorgeous dresses for the king, a thought that made him hot between the legs. Already he could feel magic pooling there. He wondered if Asgore's hand on his leg could feel the increased warmth a little higher up.. 

"...Thank you..." Gaster glanced away as he tried to hide his shy smile behind his hand. "I'd love to show you my dresses sometime..."

"Would you?" Asgore purred quietly. "I believe it is safe to say I would love that as well..." He purred quietly against him and toyed with the fabric of Gaster's skirt; he was fully aware that he was teasing Gaster, and wondered just how long it would take him to fall apart. "Hmm...what is your favorite color to wear, Gaster?"

"Black..." Gaster’s voice still sounded so soft. The hand not trying to hide his own smile moved to rest over the large paw messing with the fabric of his skirt. "White, red... A little bit of gold..."

"I think I would like to see red on you... Dark, deep reds, I think, would be best..."

Asgore’s paw moved down Gaster's leg and back up, effectively hiking the skirt up past his knee. He had so far managed to avoid feeling shy and nervous, but for a moment he felt as if his soul would disintegrate.

"How do you manage to keep your bones so pristine, hmm? Of course, I would expect a monster such as yourself to keep them in excellent condition, but I would think that over the years it would become difficult to avoid damage..."

Yes, he was stalling. And he wanted to hear the shaking in Gaster's voice as he became more and more wound up. He wondered if he would get irritated, or just impatient.

It felt like Gaster’s soul skipped a beat as his skirt was brought up past the knee. All the sexual tension... He was definitely feeling wound up, heavily aroused now, and not just because he was in heat. His own magic gave it all away, broadcasted just how painfully aroused Asgore had made him.

"What an odd question..." He leaned towards Asgore, resting against his side.He sounded even more flustered. "You know... I never thought you'd be attracted to a thin thing like me... Didn't seem to be your preference..."

Asgore let out a soft laugh. "And what did my preference seem to be?" he asked, genuinely curious. He dragged the claw of his thumb back and forth across the bone of his femur. "It is not characteristic of a scientist to draw conclusions based on only one small bit of data..." His tone was a bit more teasing than it was previously.

Gaster let out a little noise like a shuddering sigh. Even if someone else was around, only Asgore would have been able to hear it, the skeleton magically projecting his voice into the king's mind as he was. And it was growing harder to stay still, and so he shifted a bit where he sat.

"Th-that's true... My apologies, Sire." Calling him by that title in this situation was his subtle way of telling Asgore he liked the way the larger monster was taking control like this. He hoped Asgore understood.

"I assumed your preference was more...plush."

Asgore took in a sharp breath. He moved his paw slowly from Gaster's leg to the back of his neck, making sure to brush over bones as he went.

"I do not think my previous lovers have had much in common, though I have not had many... Perhaps there is an underlying trait that I cannot place at the moment."

He moved his claws back and forth between the vertebrae of Gaster's neck as he spoke, making Gaster's spine arch forward.

"It is...hard to think clearly when you make me f-feel like this, Gaster. Ahh...I do enjoy how you have let me feel more and more of what you are feeling. Can you feel...what you are doing to me..?"

Gaster was much too worked up, and shy, and _needy_ to reply, just barely keeping it together.

Asgore nibbled gently at Gaster's jaw and did his best to focus on directing his magic onto him. "It has been difficult to let this part of myself out, but...I do hope you are enjoying it, lovely."

Gaster actually squeaked as Asgore began using those huge teeth, body quivering once more as he yearned to be penetrated; by fingers, tongue, that massive dick, he didn't care. He wanted, _needed_ , something.

Asgore laughed quietly and pulled away. He stood and picked Gaster up with little effort, giving him little kisses all over his face as he carried him to the bedroom. "It would be a shame to get the piano dirty again, don't you think?" he asked and laid Gaster down on the bed. "I believe you have better things to focus on at the moment than cleaning..."

Gaster didn't think it was possible to get anymore aroused, but there it was, a jolt of heat that spread throughout his body like fire as he was scooped up in those strong arms. He knew immediately that Asgore would carry him to bed, filling his thoughts with images of being underneath the larger monster again. The reality of a few moments later did not disappoint, the skeleton panting before Asgore even started touching him again. 

The king crawled over Gaster and leaned down to nibble at and kiss the small bit of collarbone that his shirt didn't cover. He ran a paw down the fabric of his shirt and skirt, and brought it back up underneath. He hummed appreciatively when he felt the magic swirling around his hips.

Now those teeth were on Gaster’s collarbone and that paw beneath his clothes. Gaster whimpered, rubbing his knees together as the magic gathered at his pelvis took form.

"Is this...alright?" Asgore asked suddenly, stilling his movements.

Gaster nodded quickly, arms moving to hug around Asgore's neck. "Mhm.."

Asgore hummed back and continued his movements. He ghosted his paw over the crest of Gaster's pelvis, dragging his claws ever so lightly against his spine. His teeth and tongue roamed back and forth across Gaster's collarbone and made their way up to his jaw and back down.

His breath was heavy as he toyed with Gaster's bones, and he reluctantly pulled away from his neck after an affectionate nuzzle against his jaw. He pushed Gaster back a bit (which was in no way difficult, which Asgore was glad of) to make room for himself between the skeleton's legs. He nudged his legs apart with his nose and laid kisses all along the insides of his femurs.

Gaster’s arms fell from Asgore's neck as the other moved away from him and then down towards his legs. Wanting to grab at something, he gripped the sheets instead.

"My goodness..." He was dripping. "I'm so aroused already...and you've hardly done anything to me yet..."

Asgore's eyes were squeezed shut; he wasn't sure whether all his confidence would dissipate if their eyes met. His breath was hot against Gaster's bones, and he started to lick and bite at them. His paws pushed Gaster's skirt further up and he brushed his nose against the soft, seeping magic between his legs. He moaned almost inaudibly, the heady scent nearly overwhelming him. His tongue flicked out to lap up the magic that was seeping steadily toward the sheets, and his paws found Gaster's hands and rested atop them.

A jolt ran through Gaster’s body at the first lap of that teasing tongue, evoking a gasp from the skeleton. Somehow he was managing to keep his hips still, but he quivered with the effort, so hot all over and wanting to squirm.

Asgore dipped his tongue between the soft lips of Gaster's pussy, soft sounds leaving his mouth from time to time. He barely pushed his tongue inside, over and over, waiting for Gaster to become desperate and beg, whether with his body or words.

 _Is he teasing me..?_ It seemed that way, that tongue barely moving inside before it retreated, over and over... Gaster couldn't take it.

"Pl...please... Asgore..."

Asgore's breath hitched and the next exhalation was shaky and deep. He wasted no time, and thrust his tongue as deep as it could go inside Gaster. His jaw was open fairly wide, and he made sure his teeth didn't hurt the magic beneath him as he drove his tongue over and over as hard as he could into Gaster. He was determined to make the skeleton finish like this.

Gaster spread his legs a little wider and moaned. He couldn't keep still any longer, rocking his hips a bit as that tongue moved in deep. He pulled his hands out from underneath Asgore's paws, but only so he could lace their fingers together. The pleasure was growing, and it was growing _fast_. He felt a pressure inside of him building and building, a tingle coursing down his spine.

Asgore was purring and humming against Gaster's pussy, occasionally moaning as well. He shifted his legs a bit, his own arousal becoming more and more difficult to ignore. He fought the urge to rut against the bed, and forced himself to be patient. He opened his mouth a bit wider in an attempt to push his tongue deeper; it curled and thrusted quickly within the semi-pliable magic.

He was so good at this, and Gaster wanted to tell him so, though the words would be hard to get out like this while he was whimpering, gasping, and moaning. So, so close, and damn, that tongue felt wonderful, and the pressure inside him was building, and building, and he was going to _burst_.

"Asg...ore..." He squeezed the king's paws. "S-so g-good...a-ah... You're- ah...hah...so good...at th...thi..."

He couldn't finish that sentence, letting out a loud, desperate cry as he reached the peak of his pleasure, arched his back, and came.

Asgore moaned deeply and eagerly lapped up every drop of magic that pulsed out of Gaster's pussy. He pulled away after a few moments, chest heaving, and sat back on his knees.

"G-Gaster..." he breathed quietly. "Are you...a-alright if I...can I..." He looked to the side, flustered. "Um...hah...I...c-can I..." He coughed awkwardly, and his voice dropped a few decibels. "F-f-fuck you..."

Gaster was left panting heavily from where he lay on the bed, looking up at Asgore with a dazed look in his eye socket, the light there dim as he listened to Asgore's stuttering words. Usually seeing the big guy flustered like that would bring some confidence back to Gaster, and he'd want to tease him in turn, but not this time. The skeleton was far too flustered himself to take advantage of Asgore's shyness at the moment.

So it was not with the intent to 'turn the tables' that he sat up and kissed him, long tongue materializing to lick at the edges of Asgore's lips.

"Please do.." He whispered within Asgore's mind.

Asgore made a strangled groan in his throat and opened his mouth against Gaster's. He moaned softly and met Gaster's intruding tongue with his own. One paw dropped to his shorts and pulled them down just a bit, and almost fell forward; his cock almost ached with need, and just the contact from taking it out made it twitch in his paw.

He pulled away from the kiss for a moment to ask, "H-how do you feel about...r-riding me?"

"Alright...though you may have to help me like last time. You're so big I could hardly bring myself to move..." A small smile flitted over Gaster’s face, and he was looking so, so shy.

At most compliments, Asgore would protest or argue, but that particular statement was...well, a fact. So all he could do was blush and look sheepishly away.

It was cute the way Asgore blushed and looked away. God, this all still felt so surreal, like yesterday night and all of today had been been a dream. A wild, sex filled dream. 

"Y-yes... G-give me a moment." He pulled off his clothes hastily and tossed them off the bed, then moved his paws to Gaster's messed-up skirt. "Can I...t-take these off..?"

Gaster nodded, still blushing intensely.

Asgore slid the skirt off of Gaster slowly, gently. He wondered if it was rude to stare, but did so anyway. He hadn't really taken the time before to admire the skeleton's elegant form before, and was delighted to now. He pulled Gaster's shirt off as well, leaving only that silky black choker against his ivory bones, and brought his lips to the pale white sternum in the middle of his chest.

He pulled Gaster into his lap and whined quietly at the feeling of a familiar wet heat against his length. "T-take this...at your pace, o-okay?"

He felt incredibly exposed as he was laid bare, and goodness gracious, it turned him on how easily Asgore could move him. He could feel that large dick pressing against his entrance, and his soul was doing flips as if he'd never taken the entirety of it within himself before.

"Then I hope you don't mind if I go slow..." He moved his hips, rubbing himself against Asgore’s cock to make it slick with his own magical fluids.

Asgore tilted his head back and moaned, and his horns bumped against the wall behind him with a quiet thud.

"I-I don't mind at a-all," he whispered weakly. He laid still as Gaster worked his hips on top of him, paws resting gently on his iliac crests. He huffed out a shaky breath and nuzzled against Gaster's cheekbone. 

"You're...ahh, you feel s-so good, Gaster...so lovely..."

He couldn't help the minuscule buck of his hips and the deep groan that rumbled in his chest. "A-ah, you're...mmh, you're a-amazing..."

God, all those compliments... Gaster felt shy enough being completely exposed like this. Being described as 'lovely' and 'amazing' as he lewdly rubbed his cunt against Asgore's dick made him feel like he was going to disintegrate from embarrassment. He wanted to hide his blushing face from view, and nestled his head beneath the king's chin, a hand moving down to Asgore's dick to help position the head at his dripping opening. 

Slowly, he lowered himself, gripping at the other's shoulders now to help ground himself. Inch by inch he took it in, stopping once it was about halfway inside to give himself a moment to adjust. "Mm..."

Asgore's breath became even more shallow and quick, and it took all his willpower not to claw into the pale white bones in his paws.

"G-Gaster, oh..." he sighed, his eyes squeezed shut and mouth slightly open. Quiet moans left his lips one after the other, and soon they turned into whimpers. "P-please, Gaster...m-move..." His paws shook with the effort of keeping still. "I-I can't...ha-ah..."

Gaster lifted himself enough that only the head was still inside before lowering himself back down, taking in a little more than before. He moaned as he did so, thin body shuddering as that girth filled and stretched him more the lower he descended. He squeezed it in his wet warmth before rising again, and then back down he went, fitting the entire thing this time.

"Asgore..." It still felt as overwhelming as ever how every little movement stimulated the sensitive walls of Gaster’s cunt. He needed another moment of stillness to adjust after taking it all. Then he was moving again, albeit slowly, making little noises of pleasure as he did so.

Asgore brought one paw to his mouth to stifle a loud, strangled moan. His chest was heaving with each breath, soft whines leaving him. There was just something about Gaster being on top of him, riding him painfully slowly, that made him absolutely melt.

"Oh, goodness, Gaster...you...ahh, you feel so, so good..." he purred in praise. His paws wandered up and down Gaster's spine, clawed lightly at his scapulae, and made their way back down to caress the back of his pelvis. "I-I...ahh..." His soul felt like it would explode.

Gaster arched his spine and let out a little moan as claws scraped across his shoulder blades. They felt incredible against him as he rode the king. It felt so good, though Gaster was less about the open praise with words and more about actions, picking up the pace a little after a few minutes. It still wasn't a fast pace, though, the smaller monster still feeling so overwhelmed by Asgore's girth that he couldn't bring himself to move quickly, even though his body was begging him to. He squeezed around him tighter as his pleasure grew, making it even more difficult to move, the skeleton letting out a gasp.

Asgore's head lolled to the side, mouth hanging open lewdly. His groans were deep and gruff, and his breathing was heavy. He was honestly proud of himself; it took a _lot_ of willpower not to grab Gaster by the hips and fuck him senseless.

Words spilled from his lips, and he wasn't really sure what they were, just a medley of Gaster's name and various cries and praises. He brought his lips back to Gaster's teeth and swiped his tongue against them with another soft moan.

Gaster cupped Asgore's face as his own tongue emerged, the magic it was formed from warm, rubbing against the other's tongue with slithering movements. It moved similar to the way his currently absent tentacles did. It was how his magic was used to moving when forming a shape like this. His hips were moving all the while. If Asgore wanted a faster pace, he'd have to buck up into Gaster himself.

Asgore was slowly losing his resolve, the 'heat' of the situation starting to get to him. Lewd sounds were coming out of his throat every breath, and if he wasn't so lost to arousal, he would've felt a little inferior, as his tongue did not have anywhere near the dexterity of Gaster's.

"Gaster...a-ah...I...c-can't....ha-ahh..." He was aware that his words weren't making much sense, but there wasn't really anything he could do about it.

Gaster’s shyness, from being so exposed and from the countless compliments, was fading as they continued. It was hard to think about anything when growing closer and closer to release, though the ascent there was slow going like the pace he had set.

"You can move too if you want to..."

Asgore let out a broken whine in response and grasped Gaster's hips loosely. He took a moment to focus on the rhythm of Gaster's movements, then started to move at the same time. The matched movements of Asgore thrusting up, Gaster going down, drove the king's cock even deeper into him. Soon Asgore was rushing toward his climax, his breath coming in huffs and deep groans.

"Ga-aster, hah...sta-aars," he moaned, now guiding Gaster's movements with his paws. "So...so h-hot and...tight, hahh..."

Gaster whined as Asgore thrust up into him, the increased pleasure washing over him in a wave. His moans and gasps became louder, magic clenching tighter, body quivering, movements becoming sloppy. When he finally felt fit to burst, he couldn't find the strength to lift himself again after lowering himself once more, Asgore's dick fully buried within him as he came, fluids gushing out around it. His vision grew unfocused, gasping out the king's name.

Asgore let out an embarrassingly high-pitched whine, and within a few moments of that delicious clenching around him, he pulled Gaster close with both his arms and came inside him. His soul pulsed with unbridled love and adoration as he finished, glowing brightly through his chest. He whined Gaster's name several times throughout his climax, and his chest vibrated intensely with purring.

Gaster had never heard his own name uttered so many times like this before. It brought back the embarrassment again, that and all the love he felt from the other. It made him feel happy though incredibly shy now as his body began to calm after their recent...lovemaking? Could it be called that? On Asgore's end it definitely was. Gaster still wasn't sure what his own feelings were, but affection was definitely there.

"You have such strong arms..." Gaster softly commented, snug against Asgore's chest. He felt safe there.

Asgore's face burned at the compliment. "Y-yes...I suppose so..." he replied quietly.

It seemed like every time they did this, it got better. Perhaps it was that they were learning more about each other's needs, or just that their confidence was building. It didn't matter much to Asgore, though.

He rested his chin on Gaster's skull and closed his eyes. His knot was swelling once more, but he honestly wasn't paying attention. His soul was warm and seemed to have grown in size, pressed right against the inside of his chest, as if reaching for Gaster's.

As much as Gaster liked that knot, when he felt it begin to swell he rose off Asgore dick just enough to avoid it. Gaster wasn't sure he could handle that thing twice in one day. He basked in the feeling of Asgore's loving magic. He didn't reach out with his own, but all the happiness, and the shyness, and the affection could still be felt from the skeleton's magic with how close they were to one another.

"It's strange. I feel...safe...within your hold. I don't know why I feel so completely safe at the moment. If anything, I should feel like my safety is being compromised, but emotions aren't always rational, are they?"

Asgore took a moment to really hear Gaster's words. "Mm...I suppose they aren't. But I am glad you feel safe with me. It would not be good for either of us if you did not." He moved his muzzle from Gaster's head to his shoulder. "Everything still feels surreal. I do hope that feeling doesn't remain long.."

He hummed in contentment and closed his eyes. He squeezed Gaster gently in his arms. "I am glad you are made of magic, Gaster. Otherwise I think your thin frame would likely break."

"Oh? It's not as if you've been rough with me. For such a big and strong man, you've been very gentle and careful with me."

Asgore whined quietly at that, face heating up again. "It- it is not my nature to be rough. Usually." He coughed awkwardly, hoping Gaster would ignore that last bit.

"That's fine. I prefer it, really.. It's true that I am delicate. Maybe not as delicate as I think you believe, but I am still frail. I'm sure I look even more so with the cracks right here...the ones on my ribs. I'm sure you've noticed. And the obvious ones on my skull. Wounds that refuse to heal."

"Mm...I don't mind them, certainly." Asgore bit his lip, wondering whether Gaster wanted to talk about it. "Down here, most of us have scars of some sort, I think."

Gaster had already known Asgore didn't mind them, though surely he was curious about them. Gaster regretted bringing up the topic of his unhealing wounds; he wasn't ready to talk more about them yet, if ever. 

"Mhm..." There was a significant drop in his mood now. He nuzzled Asgore's broad, furry chest, trying to focus instead on the monster in front of him.

This close, Asgore was easily able to tell that Gaster had become uncomfortable. He started to kiss along the side of his skull, and his paws rubbed gentle circles into his shoulder blades. His own purring was making him sleepy, and even though he had rested for a while, he was still exhausted.

Gaster appreciated that his king was trying to cheer him up with kisses and rubbing right now rather than words. It had a near immediate effect on him. This, coupled with the fact he was still on Asgore's dick, it would have been difficult to stay focused on anything else besides the king and what he was doing to him.

He leaned up to press a skeleton kiss to Asgore's cheek as the feeling of gratitude seeped into his own magic.

Asgore leaned slightly into the kiss, the heat between his legs dying down after a while. He kept Gaster in his lap, though, as the both of them were quite comfortable that way. He decided to wait for Gaster to move, even though there was a strong possibility that he'd fall asleep just sitting there.

"It will be difficult to return to my own work after spending so much time with you," he murmured. "Do you...share the same sentiment..?"

Gaster didn't reply for a few moments, not because he needed time to figure out the answer, but because he knew Asgore wouldn't like his truthful response. He decided to be truthful, though. Asgore deserved that much.

"A little at first, I think, but I become so absorbed in my work at the lab that while I'm concentrating on it I don't think of anything else. I don't allow time for my thoughts to wander, which is how I prefer it, as otherwise my thoughts go to places I don't want them to. It won't be difficult to return to the swing of things.

"But my thoughts on it aside, I shouldn't take too much time away. The barrier must be broken."

"Yes..." Asgore's magic became a little sadder, as he was reminded of the actions he'd taken up to that point. "Your work ethic is truly admirable, Gaster. I do not know if I could keep going the way you have for so long."

The king's magic grew sadder, and Gaster felt immediately guilty, knowing his own words depressed him.

"I'm sorry, that probably sounded like I'm going to forget all about this, but..." He glanced away. "Um... I know I wouldn't mind taking some time off to see you every now and then... It would be nice..."

A bright purple blush adorned his cheeks, and the skeleton ducked beneath Asgore's chin to make himself comfortable against that broad chest again, hoping to hide the blush from view. He grew extremely shy again, and a little nervous, squeezing a tad tighter around Asgore's dick as a result, which made him all the more shy in turn.

Asgore let out a soft whine, a fresh spike of arousal shooting through his system. It was evident in his magic, though he tried in vain to hide it.

"Yes...though I hope my guards will stop bringing us alcohol, now that I have, as they say, 'gotten into your pants,'" he stated, unaware of how incredibly awkward his words were.

Gaster chuckled a little at that. "I wouldn't mind more alcohol. Maybe next time I'll even stay awake after drinking it."

He lifted himself off Asgore's dick, holding back the noise he almost made as he did so. _Can't stay on Asgore's dick forever._

Asgore bit his lip and covered his mouth with his paw in a valiant effort to conceal the noise he made. His face burned with embarrassment and he looked to the side. He suddenly felt incredibly exposed and pulled the blankets over himself, attempting to make it look subtle, and failing miserably.

Gaster laughed again, soft though amused, smiling at the way Asgore was covering himself up now. It was cute, and Gaster pondered poking fun, but instead he pressed a little skeleton kiss to the king's muzzle.

Asgore let out a small whine at the kiss, pulling Gaster close to him again, though now separated by the blanket. "Mmh...this is nice," he spoke softly, and nuzzled his chin against the top of Gaster's skull.

"It is." Gaster agreed, cuddling against him for a few moments before asking,  
"Did you have enough to eat? I can make another omelette for you if you'd like."

"That would be nice," Asgore said softly against him. He pulled the skeleton closer and nuzzled him almost violently. "It was good, but I certainly did not take the proper time to enjoy it."

For a moment Gaster forgot to magically send his voice into Asgore's mind, so the other did not hear his noise of surprise as he was pulled closer and snuggled so...vigorously.

"Alright then, I'll make you another after you feel like releasing me...not that I'm complaining or telling you to hurry up letting go of me. I am comfortable, quite so."

Asgore's purring was loud and intense. "I will make sure to figure out your favorite teas and give them to you often. I know you have headaches and tea is so good for that," he hummed softly. "How is your plant doing, by the way?"

Plant..? Oh! The cactus. The cactus that Gaster had not watered even once yet, though those things _were_ supposed to be watered only rarely. An image flashed in his mind of constantly forgetting about the thing and managing to kill it. It was probably the hardest plant to kill, but if anyone could do it, it was Gaster.

"It's fine." That was the truth for the moment. "It's in my office."

Asgore hummed happily. "This is...perhaps a rude question to ask, but I suppose you are accustomed to my...lack of social intuition at this point," he began, brow furrowed. "But...ah, is your...heat...over..?"

_Lack of social intuition... Mine isn’t the greatest either._

"No. Probably not. There's temporary relief after...well, you know...o-orgasm..." And, damn, Asgore has been making Gaster do a lot of that. He moved to make himself comfortable under the sheets beside the king.

"You're just good at satisfying me."

He wasn't trying to stroke any egos. He was simply stating fact.

"I-I'm...glad...?" Asgore said awkwardly. He nuzzled the side of Gaster's skull gently. "I...oh dear."

He had suddenly thought of his own heat, and then of Gaster helping him with it, and was immediately barraged with thoughts of himself becoming much too rough and breaking him into pieces. The fear was evident in his magic, and was mixed with confused half-arousal and uncertainty.

Gaster felt the change in Asgore's magic and looked at him, feeling concerned. Did something he say not sit right with the king? He found Asgore's hand with his own and gave it a gentle squeeze. It was meant to be a comforting gesture, and one meant to say, “I am here. You can tell me what's wrong.”

Asgore hummed in appreciation and rubbed the side of Gaster's thumb with his own.

"I was thinking of my own heats. It will be...unfortunate from now on, I suppose, knowing that even if you wished, you likely could not...assist," he explained.

He moved a paw between Gaster's scapulae, a movement of affection, and pulled him closer. "Though you should certainly not worry about it. I have managed this long; it will not be too...difficult." He actually caught his wording before it was suggestive, for once.

Gaster leaned into the touch as he listened to Asgore speak. "I don't understand. Why would I be unable to help you?"

His immediate thought was that Asgore might have so much sexual stamina during his heats that Gaster couldn't possibly help give him relief. Was that it?

Asgore bit his lip. "I...do not think I would be able to think clearly enough to keep myself from injuring you."

...Oh. Now Gaster was imagining Asgore holding him down and fucking him into oblivion, a thought that sent a shiver of excitement down his spine, but also made him uncomfortable, because he didn't want to imagine an Asgore he didn't feel safe with, one who might hurt him. Arousing...but Gaster would have fought him off if he didn't feel safe.

"I see. I want to say that I believe you wouldn't hurt me, but I haven't seen what you're like while in heat."

Asgore thought for a few moments. "I am...not a young monster... I think I have experienced heat enough to be able to control myself, but I am not a hundred percent sure." He smiled warmly. "Though I would always have the presence of mind to stop if I felt any sort of discomfort from you."

Gaster didn't reply for a few moments, trying to get the image out of his mind of an aggressive, dominant Asgore.

"Mhm... Well, if you think you'd stop if I was uncomfortable, then I wouldn't mind helping you the next time you go into heat..."

Asgore let out a shaky sigh and buried his face, embarrassed, in Gaster's shoulder.

"Th-thank you, Gaster," he said quietly. "Goodness, I feel...juvenile." He laughed softly. "Not in a bad way. It has just been...refreshing...to be with you."

Gaster stroked the side of Asgore's face. The king was so sweet...surely he'd continue to be so, even during the most agonizing, unbearable moments of his heat cycle...

A part of Gaster was scolding him now, reminding himself that although he's known Asgore for years and years, he's only been intimate with him for a day. There was much he didn't know about the man, and he shouldn't have felt like he could trust him so completely. Feelings could be so...irrational.

"I'm glad... That this has been refreshing for you, I mean."

Asgore's eyes were gently shut, chest rising and falling slowly to the rhythm of his breath and purring. He enjoyed the sex with Gaster, of course, but these quiet moments were something different and special entirely.

"This...may be a strange time to bring this up, but I am lucky to have such a capable monster as the lead scientist working on breaking the barrier," he said softly. "I have such hope, and I am not sure I would feel as confident if anyone else was in the position you are in."

It would have felt nice to know Asgore had so much confidence in Gaster if he wasn't worried about disappointing the king.

"The barrier can be broken. That's a fact. The difficult part is finding out how.

“Speaking of which, there's a test I wanted to run on the barrier. I'm going to need to borrow a few of your guards. And you."

"...Oh?" Asgore murmured. "Why...why me...?" He wanted to add "I'm nothing special," but figured it would be best not to argue. His nervousness and uncertainty was evident in his magic.

"I...I am fully prepared to help, whatever is needed of me."

"When we were first trapped down here, how many times has monsterkind tried to break through the barrier by throwing the best of our magical attacks at it? The barrier deflects it all right back. It deflects magic, after all, the magic that makes up our attacks, and the magic that makes up our very beings. While thinking about this it occurred to me that we never tried _blue_ magic.

"Blue magic is special, as you already know. It's magic made to pass through other magic. If the barrier doesn't deflect it, then it may play a crucial role in breaking through the barrier one day. I'm not capable of wielding blue magic myself, so I need you and couple of your guards to throw some blue magic at the barrier while I observe. That's all."

Asgore nodded in understanding. "Yes, of course. I will be glad to assist," he assured the skeleton. "Though I must say I am surprised; I suppose I had assumed you were capable of anything and everything..."

"How flattering... But no, I can't do everything." Had Asgore put him on a pedestal all these years? Gaster hoped not.

"I can perform high level enchantments with ease. I have my strengths, but I can't perform blue magic, and my healing magic is...mediocre at best." He was also very, very strong in battle, but that wasn't something the skeleton felt was worth mentioning.

Asgore chuckled warmly. "Yes, I suppose it was silly of me to have that thought," he purred, and nuzzled against Gaster's cheekbone. "Well, it wasn't exactly something I had really thought about..."

Asgore's purring deepened, and he pulled Gaster closer against him. His soul felt as if it blossomed with warmth, and he had an incredibly powerful urge to say 'I love you.'

He didn't, as he didn't want to overwhelm Gaster or make him uncomfortable, but he trusted the scientist would feel the sentiment through his magic.

"Your aptitude in your field of work more than makes up for whatever magical abilities you lack."

"Thank you..." Gaster still wasn't sure how to react to all this flattery, and to all the love he felt. "I'd like to run that test on the barrier as soon as I'm no longer in heat."

"Y-yes...time is...certainly of the essence." Asgore squirmed slightly at the mention of Gaster's heat, though his arousal currently remained in his soul. He brought his paw to the back of Gaster's skull and tilted it back. He pressed his lips gently against the skeleton's teeth with a soft hum.

Gaster was unable to kiss him in return, lacking a pair of lips himself - unless he wanted to conjure up a tongue...but that might lead to more sex, and he'd had his fill for the moment. Even so, the kiss did make him smile.

Though...a part of him was still reminding himself to be wary.

"Didn't you want another omelette, Asgore?" He reminded, partially because he wanted to take care of Asgore's hungry tummy, but also as an excuse to remove himself from the king's hold. He wanted some personal space while he thought.

"Oh! Yes, I did. And...I think I may take another shower, if you're alright with that," he said cheerfully. He was reluctant to move from under the blanket, though, as he was still incredibly self-conscious.

"Of course."

Gaster was also reluctant. He wasn't used to being nude in front of anyone, but he couldn't stay under the sheets. After giving Asgore a quick kiss, Gaster was the first to get out of bed. The king soon did as well, and the two went their separate ways for the moment.

Soon, he was in the kitchen preparing another large omelette for his king. He wanted it to be perfect. He wanted to make sure Asgore was well taken care of. And then it hit him. He cared more about Asgore's physical health than his own. It was at odds with his sudden need for personal space. How confusing.

But one thing was crystal clear to him, and that was the fact he cared about Asgore deeply.


	12. Party Invitations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok first of all, im so so SOOO sorry this chapter took so long. im having one of the worst times ive ever had in my life. a lot of shits going on and im at my wits end. so im super sorry aaa, i hope this chapter manages to make up for it.  
> will-o-wisp is technically an oc, but his design and occupation are from an actual npc from undertale. theyre labeled 'hotland worker 2.'  
> also, warning! idk if this deserves a warning, but near the end of the chapter, sans makes a pervy comment insinuating an incestuous relationship. so if that kind of thing bothers you, skip the chapter and look at the end notes for a summary.

It was a slow day at Grillby's. Its namesake absentmindedly cleaned the glass cup he held as he surveyed his customers in the gentle light of the bar. Some of the usual customers were there: the cream colored bunny rambling on to her piranha plant friend about hot guys, the royal guard's most sickeningly sweet dog couple, the both of them a little tipsy, leaning forward across the table from where they sat opposite from each other, practicing for the upcoming Nose Nuzzle competition. There was one of the ducks, the purple one who liked to 'translate' for him whenever the flaming bartender didn't have the energy for socializing.

And then there was Sans. Grillby's gaze settled on the skeleton. He was one of his favorite customers and one of his favorite skeletons.

Sans asked for firewhiskey. He was snorting with laughter, Grillby silent as always in response (or lack of). After his mischievous giggling died down, he asked, "So how's it going today? 'M I gonna be your main source of revenue as usual?"

He was fully aware he paid Grillby maybe once every ten visits.

"Hey...did you hear 'bout my boss? 'N the king?" he asked suddenly, in a hushed voice, after a few moments of drinking in silence.

Sometimes Grillby would form a mouth. As a mute monster, he couldn't use it to talk, but he would occasionally use it to smile, to give some expression to his otherwise expressionless face. Right now was not one of those times, though if he had bothered to form a mouth he would be smiling softly at Sans' laughter. It was cute.

His magic was not closed off, though. Sans would have been able to feel a bit of amusement from him and then curiosity. A _lot_ of curiosity.

Grillby set down the glass and signed, 'No, I hadn't.'

Did something big happen? Neither of them had been on the news recently. Were they okay? Was _Gaster_ okay?

"Ohhhhkay so...heh." Sans sat back a little on his stool. "So like...Gaster was talking to the king, right? And he just like...says he's in love with him. Well, I dunno what exactly he said," he began. "But Gaster was really freaked out, so he just kinda...left. And poor Fluffybuns was really torn up. But like...heh, the other day, I come into work, and I go to get coffee from the lounge, right? And I'm just standing there, still kinda half asleep, and I could _swear_ I hear snoring." He had leaned in as he said this, eyesockets wide. "So I turn around, and I shit you not, my boss and the king were passed out on the couch."

He sat back again and chuckled. "Took a picture. Heh, couch was torn to shreds. They're lucky Gaster still had his robe on." He snorted. "Prude."

Grillby found this information hard to process. Sans didn't know it, but Grillby knew the small skeleton's boss personally. Long ago, they were friends, and the Gaster he knew wouldn't sleep around with others. It's not that he thought Sans was a liar, but he just couldn't believe it.

'You took a picture? Really?'

Sans laughed, somewhere between a devious chuckle and a giggle. "Heh, yeah, I did," he answered. "Wanna see?" He grabbed his phone from the pocket of his hoodie. "No dicks, I promise."

As if Grillby would mind seeing dicks. He leaned forward a bit, clearly curious as all hell.

Sans found the photo in his camera roll easily; there wasn't too much in it. He held it so that no one could see it but Grillby; he did _not_ need some drunk monster yelling about the king's sex life for everyone to hear. "Check it out."

Grillby stared at the photo. There was no mistaking it. That was Gaster. Even though the proof was right in front of him, it was still hard to believe. Grillby felt nostalgic looking at his old friend, and also happy to see the scientist was opening up to others again. This was good. This was _wonderful._

This happiness was so bittersweet. He missed the guy.

Just then, the door slammed open, a familiar monster making his presence known. "SUP, ALCOHOLICS OF SNOWDIIIIIN!"

Will-O-Wisp was a smoke monster, human-like, but not quite. He was thin and long, though not very tall. His ‘skin’, if you could call it that, was dark gray, and the top of his head trailed above him in a strange mockery of hair. He wore round goggles, a simple white tank top, and lime green skinny jeans. He carried himself with confidence bordering on arrogance, a grin on his face more often than not.

Most of the monsters in the bar greeted him, things like "Hi, Will!" and "Heeey, Will!" as the smokey gray monster walked directly to the the bar counter, claiming the seat beside the skeleton.

Sans quickly locked his phone and shoved it back in his pocket. He turned in the direction of the newcomer and gazed at him curiously. "'S not too often somebody I don't know pays Snowdin a visit," he purred. "What brings you here, _hot stuff?_ " He snorted at his own joke.

Will looked momentarily surprised at the words 'hot stuff'. He liked being flirted with, he just hadn't been expecting it. He glanced quickly at Grillby, who looked impassive as usual, before looking back at the skeleton and grinning wide.

"Grillby, you jerk. Why didn't you tell me you had such an attractive customer? You've been holding out on me." Will was obviously directing those words at the bartender, though he was looking at Sans as he did so. He rested an elbow on the wooden counter, not taking his eyes off him. It would have been impossible to see his eyes through the goggles, but his head was facing towards Sans.

"You are cuuuuute~" Absentmindedly he traced a circle with his finger on the wood, ravishing the skelly with his eyes. "And to answer your question, I'm just visiting tall, silent, and sizzling over here. Say, how often do you come here?"

Sans was a little surprised. Usually his mindless flirting wasn't reciprocated; he wasn't used to it, and it caught him a little off guard. He stared back with an interested gaze.

"As often as I can without actually becoming an alcoholic. You know Grillby?" he asked. "Didn't know anyone outside of Snowdin did." He turned to the bartender with a mock apologetic gaze (he knew it took a lot more to get under Grillby's metaphorical skin) and said, "No offense."

Grillby shrugged. No offense taken. He also didn't want to tell Sans this was his brother until Will revealed it himself, for no other reason besides being curious as to how this conversation between the two would play out on its own.

"Well it's not like Grillby is aaaalways in Snowdin. Sometimes he visits Hotland, but yeah, I know him. We go _way[_ back."

"Way back, huh?" Sans asked, sitting back a bit. "I think I can say the same, so...why haven't I seen you around before? I mean, I work in Hotland, and I haven't seen you there either."

Usually he didn't engage this much with bar-goers, but this guy was really piquing his interest.

"No way, you work in Hotland? Wow. I guess it's just dumb luck we haven't bumped into each other at some point before this then. I work for an electronics company there. Boring stuff. But I come here to Snowdin every now and then to visit ol' flamey."

He glanced at Grillby who just continued cleaning that same, already spotless glass.

"Give me the fruitiest drink you got because they're delicious and I am not insecure in my masculinity."

Sans chuckled at that. "Congratulations," he said in a snarky but well-meaning tone. "So what've you got with Grillbz here?" He raised one side of his brow and looked between them. "Cause depending on your answer me 'n 'ol' flamey' will need to have a talk." He knew Grillby would easily be able to tell he was joking, but wondered if Will could.

"Ooooh? A talk, huh? You two have something going on? I might have to have a talk with him too then~" Will sounded amused. "Oh, but you asked me first so I should answer first, shouldn't I, but how about we make it interesting? How about you guess, and I'll tell you if you're right or wrong." His grin widened. "If you get it right I might even tell you my name."

Grillby passed him his fruity drink and Will accepted it happily. "Thank you, honey."

He was trying to throw the skeleton off by calling his brother 'honey'. Maybe the other would assume they were lovers or something. Hah.

Sans rolled his eyelights. "Easy. Nothin's goin' on. Grillby wouldn't let anyone call him 'honey'," he answered, a real shit-eating grin on his teeth. He shrugged and picked up his own, harder drink up again, taking a sip of it. A pleasant buzz sizzled through his bones, and he thought about making another fire joke, but even he didn't want to overdo it.

"Heeey, I've called him worse things than honey in my lifetime, and I'm still alive, so that has to mean something, right?" He chuckled before taking a sip of his absolutely delicious fruity beverage.

Grillby was trying not to smile and _failing._

"There's worse things than death when this _firecracker's_ around," Sans teased, moving his glass around so the liquid swirled within it. His gaze slid over to the man in question, grin widening when he noticed him trying in vain to conceal his amusement. "Trust me, I know."

Eyelights still focused on Grillby, he added, "Though any pain from Grillby's almost always accompanied by pleasure."

The white goggles hid the way Will’s eyes widened, but the way his mouth formed a shocked 'o' got the message across that he was [i]really[/i] surprised.

"Oh my goodness... _Grillby_!! Why did you not _tell me_!? We're supposed to tell each other _everything_! The bartender blushed, fire at the cheeks and fire that was the eyes behind those square glasses heating up to a brilliant blue. "And you're blushing!! Ooooh, yeah, you two are _definitely_ fucking."

He took a big swig of his drink before adding, "Nice."

Sans laughed jovially, though there was a light dusting of blue on his own cheekbones, which, if asked, he'd blame on the alcohol. "So...I'm Sans," he said when he managed to collect himself, a quiet giggle still leaving his teeth from time to time. "And you?"

"Aaa, if I tell you my name you might know who I am. I still want you to guess what my relationship with Grillby is, if only to keep you talking so I can hear more of your adorable voice." He waggled his brows at him. "Oh, wait, are you two in a relationship, or just really good friends? Am I still allowed to flirt?"

The blush on Sans' cheekbones deepened in color at the compliment. He snorted at the question. "If I remember correctly, I'm the one who started flirting with you," he pointed out. His face changed into an expression of curious thought. "Damn...well, anyone this in tune with Grillby would about have to be around him a lot, but since I haven't seen you around..." He tilted his head and looked between him for a moment, thinking of the way the gray monster had basically congratulated Grillby on getting laid. "Well...somehow I don't think Grillby'd commit to a relationship without, y'know, telling the monster he's banging, soo...either _very_ close friends, or...brothers..?" he prodded, though admittedly unsure.

Will blushed a bit as he was reminded it was Sans here who flirted first. The blush deepened the color of his smoke from gray to black. "Hah, both those answers are correct! We're close friend _brothers_. Twins, in fact."

His elbow was back on the counter as he smiled up at Grillby, the fire monster smiling back. Then he looked back at Sans. "The name’s Will. Will-O-Wisp, but most just call me Will. Nicknames are Smokey and 'God, it's 2AM. Turn down the damn music.'"

Sans laughed maybe a little too loudly at that. "Honestly, if you'd stopped at 'God,' I woulda believed you," he noted, and realized he'd downed his glass.

_Honestly, if you'd stopped at 'God' I woulda believed you._

Will blushed deeper and was clearly flustered, rubbing the back of his head and giving a soft chuckle as he looked down at his drink. "Oh...oh my..."

"Hey, 's it true what they say about twins?" Sans asked after Grillby refilled his drink. His eyesockets were narrowed in a sort of mischievous expression.

'And what do they say about twins?' Grillby signed, looking from Sans to his brother. He patted Will on the top of the head. Will didn't swat the hand away, but he did say, "Stoooooop, you're embarrassing meeee."

Sans' blush darkened again, and he chuckled a little nervously. "Y'know...that they're...uh...similarly endowed."

He cringed internally at the way he worded it, and realized maybe he was blaming too many things on the alcohol. He set his half-empty glass on the counter, which he now leaned against.

"Oh...ehehe..." Will was blushing deeper now, and Grillby returned his hand to his own side of the counter.

"You are an interesting guy, Sans. I like you already. Well, Grillby, aren't you gonna answer his question?"

Grillby looked at Will who was finishing the drink and then back at Sans. 'Yes.' was his simple response, right down and to the point.

"In our case, anyway. I can't speak for the other sets of twins out there." Will added.  
"Why? Did you wanna see mine to compare?"

If Sans had happened to have taken a drink at that point, it definitely would've shot out between his teeth.

"I don't guess I'd be _opposed_ to it. I mean, 'f it's 's good ‘s his I definitely wouldn't be complaining."

"Wow~" Will put his hand to his own cheek. He felt hot, and aroused, and was also starting to feel the pleasant buzz from the alcohol he'd consumed. "Well, okay~ But I want to see you at at least one of my parties first. And if you change your mind before then, that's fine too." He was a good smoke monster, not wanting anyone to feel tied down to their word. Sans had already been drinking anyway and might very well change his mind when sober.

"Speaking of parties! Grillby, it's Mom's birthday in a few days. I came to remind you we're celebrating in the Capital. We're renting out that party venue called 'The Loft' so you better be there in three days at 8PM. This party is going to be _big_ and it's going to _rock_."

Will grins at Sans. "And _you_ are invited too. Heck, bring your friends. Bring your boss! Bring your boss' boss. The more the merrier!"

He had no idea who Sans' boss was. He'd freak if he knew it was his childhood friend Gaster.

Sans grinned. "Hah, I'll see if I can manage to convince him to show up. And, well...heh. His boss...well, he's not one to say no to a party, and well...Gaster's not one to say no to _him_ , heh." He laughed again. "Though technically nobody can, or will, anyway."

"Gaster? _The_ W.D Gaster?" Will inquired.

"Uh...yeah," Sans answered, surprised by the question. "Why...got a boner for 'im or somethin'?" He chuckled at his own pun.

"No, no. I'm just surprised, is all. He's really famous down here. He was famous even before creating The Core. You work at the lab then?" Will glanced at his brother. Even without a facial expression to judge, he knew Grillby would be nervous seeing Gaster again after all these years. This would be a great excuse to get them together again, assuming Grillby would still show up at the party.

"Yeah, I do," Sans said. He wished he was sober for this sort of conversation. "I'm his primary assistant. Second-in-command, right-hand monster, whatever you wanna call it." He shrugged.

"Poor guy. Honestly can't imagine seein' him at a party. He'd probably find his way out pretty quickly... But, you know, I think if...well...uh, never mind." He coughed awkwardly. He did _not_ want to start shit by mentioning Asgore; it was inevitable that the Underground would find out sooner or later, but he certainly wasn't going to be the one to let everyone know.

Will tried to imagine Gaster at a party. He imagined the tall, beautiful skeleton (It was probably because he grew up around the guy that he found skeletons so darn attractive in the first place) sitting with just himself and his drink, giving off an unfriendly disposition that kept everyone away. He could not imagine Gaster was fond of parties. Hopefully Sans here could convince him to come anyway.

"Aww, he just needs a good friend like you and some alcohol to loosen up." Will didn't bother to ask Sans to say whatever it is he decided not to.  
"And _you._ " He pointed at Grillby.  
" _You better show up_."

Grillby silently nodded, then quirked a brow as Will put money on the counter. Will knew what he was questioning before Grillby had a chance to sign.

"Yes, I know you give me my drinks for free. This is for his." Will motioned to Sans.

Sans huffed. "I can pay for my own drinks," he argued, though a smile was still on his face.

"Yeah, I'll see if I can convince Gaster t' come. Hold on. He'll probably answer me. Little shit never sleeps." He snorted. "I've only ever seen him asleep once, and honestly, I'd be passed out too if I were him."

He sent Gaster a quick message:  
'hey im at grillbys and his brothers here. hes having a party and he wants you to come'

The reply came a few moments later than it would have if Gaster hadn't been so surprised. Grillby and Will? They want him at some party? They _asked_ for him? Gaster dropped his wrench and bumped his head on the inside of the Determination Extractor.

'Okay. Time and place?'

A surprisingly non-fussy, cooperative reply for a monster who hated social events.

After asking Will for the details again, Sans sent:  
'the loft, saturday 8pm. heh im surprised u didnt even argue. u didnt strike me as the party type. also...he said invite whoever u want, so...;)'

'I'm not.' Was Gaster's short reply. He definitely was not the party type.

Sans put his phone up with a quiet laugh. "Yeah, I think he'll be comin'. Might invite somebody else too, heh... Now, if _he_ shows up, that'll be more of a surprise than Gaster sayin' yes to a party."

Grillby was getting progressively more blue. Will noticed, but decided not to poke fun at him this time around. "Like I said, the more the merrier! Anyway, I should be going now. There's still quite a few things left to prepare for the party."

Leaning over the counter a bit, he turned his cheek to the side and pointed at it. Grillby gave him a quick peck on the cheek. Will was pleased.

Sans rolled his eyelights and waved at Will in a dismissive motion. "See ya." He winked and grinned happily.

After Will was gone, he turned to Grillby. "I'm kinda disappointed you didn't mention your _hot_ brother, heh. Though he doesn't hold a _candle_ to you."

'Yes, I have a brother. And apparently you'll be meeting my mothers as well in three days.' Grillby was staying calm on the outside, though on the inside he was trying not to freak out over the fact he'd quite possibly see his childhood friend again soon.

"Ooh~" Sans purred and picked up his drink again. He looked around the bar; most of the patrons had already started to filter out. He slid his hand toward Grillby across the counter. "Though I would like t' know how y'know how big Will’s dick is, heh."

Blue. The tip of Grillby’s fire and his cheeks were burning blue again. He looked at Sans’ hand sliding closer to him. 'Pervert.'

Sans giggled. "Guilty as charged~" He leaned over the counter, his arm being too short to reach, and rubbed the hem of Grillby's shirt between his thumb and forefinger. "I'm definitely looking forward to getting to know him better. In...multiple ways, hmm. What can I say, I'm a real charmer."

Grillby found it amazing how Sans seemed to want some action with him tonight while at the same time implying he'd fuck the bartender's brother in the near future. Not that it bothered him, though. He didn't mind sharing someone with Will.

Leaning down, he gave Sans a kiss on the cheek too, though only after scanning the bar to make sure no one was looking. 'I'm tired. I'll see you at the party.'

"Heh. Cocktease." Sans said this in a quiet tone; he enjoyed messing with Grillby, sure, but he wouldn't push himself on him or anything akin to it. He pressed his empty glass gently into Grillby's hand before heading home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sooo a summary for those who needed to skip because of the warning:  
> grillby has a twin brother named will-o-wisp, but hes known as will. he and sans hardcore flirt at grillbys bar, sans is really drunk, will is pretty tipsy. will invites sans to his and grillbys moms birthday party, and tells him he can invite whoever he wants. sans invites gaster, who is actually will and grillbys childhood friend.  
> theres hinted at sansby but its not important.


	13. Another Invitation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh my god guys i am so so so sooooo fuckin sorry. ive been having so much going on. this wouldve been easier to get out, but there was a discrepancy in the plot due to some ooc chat in the rp, and my brain has just been so fried.. hopefully this is worth the wait, and therell be another chapter out tonight after this one, too.

Later that night, Gaster pulled out his phone and pulled up his chat window with the king.

'We don't have anything planned in three days, do we? If so, I have to cancel. Something has come up. And before you ask, yes, I'm alright.'

He continued to work on the DT Machine while he waited for a reply.

Asgore was in the midst of reading one of his various nonfiction botany-related titles when his phone dinged. He opened it and read the message. Gaster...had plans? This surprised him; the only plans Gaster ever had were work-related. Perhaps an experiment required his full attention...? Though, three days was rather specific.

'I did not have anything in particular planned. If you do not mind my asking, what is in three days?'

'Two of my childhood friends who I have not seen nor spoken with in years invited me to a party. I hate social gathers, but I don't want to ignore them.'

Asgore found himself surprised at the mention of Gaster having friends, or a childhood, and immediately felt guilty for having those thoughts.

'Do I know them?' he asked, though somewhat afraid he sounded possessive. 'I like to think I know everyone, but the fact of the matter is that I do not.'

'Possibly. Their names are Grillby and Will. They're twins, sons of Fume and Flicker. If you've ever met Fume, you'll remember her. She's an eccentric woman.'

'Yes, I have met them. Though it was a long while ago.'

He sent the message and then decided to send another.

'I am somewhat surprised that we are so close in age. I remember Will more than you or Grillby. He was more...noticeable, I suppose.'

'Grillby and I were quiet children. We were still quiet when growing into adulthood. Will got his brazen personality from Fume. It makes sense you'd remember him more.'

Just then a royal guard walked into the room, a letter in his clawed hand. "Excuse me, King Asgore. A letter arrived for you."

Asgore had just finished reading the text when he looked up. It always unsettled him a bit that his guards always seemed to find him so easily. He thanked the monster as he took the letter.

Upon opening it, he read the details of the party he and Gaster were currently discussing. He was unsure what to think of it. On one hand, he greatly enjoyed spending time with the monsters of the Underground...but on the other, he was unsure whether or not he would be comfortable there.

'I just received an invitation myself. I am not sure what my thoughts are on attending. I assume it will be a lively event...what do you think? Should I go?'

His book lay open on the ground next to him, and he glanced at it as if it would give him an answer. He was an outgoing monster, but large gatherings, especially boisterous ones, definitely intimidated him.

Gaster hummed, thinking for a moment before he replied:

'Knowing Fume's parties, there's going to be tons of alcohol, loud music, and lots of drunken monsters. It won't be a quiet gathering. A nightmare, really.'

'I...think I'll pass on this one, if that's alright with you.'

He thought of adding something along the lines of "I'll miss you" or "I'll be eagerly awaiting your return" but decided against it. He sent another message after a short pause.

'If you would like, we could do something or other the day before. Since you may need some...down time after being there. Unless you consider time with me to be recuperating.'

He sighed.

'I sound like a fool, don't I? I am...not good at this. I apologize for my romantic clumsiness.'

'You're fine, Asgore dear. Honestly, though, I'm not sure if I'll be emotionally prepared for anything else after this party. I'm fully expecting to be chewed up for allowing us to lose contact. I might need some time alone after that.'

Gaster stared for a moment at the text he'd just sent before deciding to send another.

'Or I might need the embrace of a certain strong, burly king I know to make it all better. We'll see.'

He blushed to himself, fully aware how out of character that sounded for him, but he was getting used to the idea of actually enjoying Asgore's touch.

Asgore's face heated at the pet name and blatant flirt. He mulled over what to say in return for a few moments.

'Whichever you need is fine with me. Your well-being is of great importance to me.'

He hit send and then bit his lip. Maybe that sounded too formal..?

'Though I must admit I am partial toward the latter.'

After reading Asgore's reply, Gaster put his phone away and continued to work. He didn't want to waste too much time on conversation now that he was no longer in heat and could fully concentrate on his work once more.

\-------------------------

Asgore had resumed his reading, soul feeling somehow refreshed after his conversation with Gaster, when his phone buzzed again. His gaze wandered to the now lit-up screen on the side table beside him.

‘hey fluffybuns’

The king smiled. There was something so charming about Sans, and the way he addressed Asgore not as his king, but as his friend.

‘Hello, Sans. How are you today? :-)’

‘im doin good, just put paps to bed. lil thing is impossible to calm down sometimes. took a while.

well, i wanted to invite u to a party thing. bday party for grillbys mom. hows that sound?’

Asgore hummed, unsure of what to say. Should he tell Sans he’d already been invited and declined the invitation? Should he act as if he didn’t know about the party at all..?

‘Yes, I’d heard there was a party. I...suppose I’ll consider coming. It’s a bit daunting to me. I know a lot of monsters will be there.’

‘yea well, a lot of monsters want u to come. and theres someone i want u to meet.’

‘Oh? Well, I think, in that case, it’d simply be silly of me not to go. I’ll be there, Sans. I just received a written invitation, so I already know the time and place. No need to go out of your way to tell me. Goodnight, Sans. :-)’

‘night buns’

Asgore smiled again. Sans, however rude he might act, was really a kind monster, he thought to himself. He looked back at his book and realized he should probably text Gaster about his change in decision.

‘Sans messaged me. He has effectively convinced me to attend that party. :-)’

‘Oh? I suppose I’ll see you there, then. I hope you have a good time, Asgore dear.’

Asgore bit his lip and smiled shyly, though Gaster wasn’t even there.

‘I think I will. You’ll be there, after all. :-)’

‘You flatterer.’

Gaster paused, remembering the blue magic experiment he had wished to conduct. Fuck. He retrieved his phone again.

'Asgore, remember when I mentioned I wanted to observe blue magic's effect on the barrier? When is the earliest we can do this?'

'Yes. I suppose if the capable guards you require are prepared, sometime relatively soon would work. Tomorrow or the next day, perhaps?'

The idea of seeing Gaster soon excited him in such a juvenile way that it made him a little giddy. He wondered if Gaster felt a similar excitement when thinking of him..

'Thank you. See you then.' Gaster did not feel the same giddiness. His mind was still on Grillby and Will, and how this little experiment at the barrier would help distract him from his inevitable doom.

Well, doom was putting it too harshly, but he was expecting their rage, and it would hurt him because he never stopped adoring his old friends. Gaster sighed to himself before getting back to work.


	14. First Attempts

The day came to head towards the barrier. Gaster had kept in touch with Asgore via text, waiting for the okay to go to the castle, and it had finally been received. The tired royal scientist had a cup of coffee in hand when he approached Sans, not bothering with a hello and instead getting right to the point.

'Today we'll be doing something a little different.' He signed.

Sans looked up when he heard the telltale click of heels that signaled Gaster's approach. He raised a brow at his words; that could mean a lot of things.

"Different how?" he asked slowly, watching Gaster's face in vain to try and read his expression.

'We're going to test the effects of blue magic on the barrier.'

Gaster didn't feel the need to explain further. Sans was a smart guy. He knew Sans was aware that the barrier reflected magic. He also knew Sans was aware of how blue magic was made to go through other types of magic, like magically conjured shields for example, or go through a monster entirely.

'I want you there with me.'

Sans' eyesockets narrowed in a sort of dubious expression. "Okay. I assume you'll have a few other monsters as well?"

Gaster nodded. Then he took another sip of coffee. 

'Yes. I can't use blue magic myself, but I know you can. I've also requested Asgore and a few of his royal guards throw some blue magic at the barrier as well.'

He'd referred to their king as simply Asgore rather than 'King Asgore.' Even when the furry boss monster wasn't around, Gaster had always used the royal title when discussing him with others.

Sans, ever the attentive monster, noticed the way he referred to the king, and smirked slightly, but more in amusement than purposeful cockiness.

"Sounds good to me," he said, and shrugged. He wondered if Asgore would be nervous about using his magic, whether because Gaster was there or that the stakes of the experiment were fairly high, and the results could be incredibly disheartening.

"Try not to be too hard on him if it doesn't work, boss," he advised gently. "Poor guy would probably take anything you say five times as harsh as it actually is."

Gaster looked at Sans curiously for a few moments, slightly offended that Sans would be hard on Asgore. He took a seat so he could finish his coffee leisurely, signing as he sipped at it.

'I don't have any expectations for this. The barrier could reflect the magic back like it does with every other type of magic or it might not. It could be a total bust or it could bring us one step closer to breaking the barrier. Poor results is of no fault of Asgore's.'

Sans frowned a bit. "In any case, I know he'd be upset if you're disappointed, whether by him or not."

He thought a bit about the possibilities of the experiment. On one hand, he was impressed that Gaster had thought of the idea, but on the other, he felt a little inferior since he hadn't thought of it himself.

Gaster couldn't deny that, but he really didn't want to think about an upset Asgore. A huge part of science was trial and error and he would explain that to him if the experiment yielded poor results.

'True. I wish that weren't the case.' He finished his coffee and set the cup down.  
'I don't want to see him upset.'

Sans brought his hand to his mouth in a half-assed attempt to cover up his snort. He enjoyed seeing Gaster show some emotion, but his disposition still dictated what he found humorous.

"I'm sure you could soothe him if need be, Gaster," he purred, his tone teasing.

Sans was clearly amused by something. It wasn't until Sans spoke again that Gaster figured out why. A purple blush tinted the royal scientist's cheekbones and a look of surprise found its way on his usually expressionless face, at least for a moment.

'That statement could be innocent.' He kept eye contact.  
'But knowing you you're implying something perverse.'

Sans raised his hands in a sort of 'I surrender' gesture. "You got me there," he admitted. "Dude, I haven't seen you this..." He tilted his head, trying to think of the right word. "...open, in ages. Maybe never. Can't really remember th' last time, actually."

He sat back in his chair. "Fluffybuns's really got you in his big strong clutches, huh?"

It was then that he glanced away, embarrassed by how such small changes in his behavior was so easily perceived by the smaller skeleton. Sans knew him well. 

Gaster smiled softly and brought a hand up to his own cheek. It was a bit warm thanks to the violet magic there. This was probably enough of an answer to Sans questions, the mere fact that he was smiling, and the fact he wasn't venomously denying Sans' claims. 

'Let's head to the castle, shall we?'

Sans rolled his eyelights good-naturedly and nodded, standing up and hanging his labcoat up for safekeeping before heading out.

Asgore was waiting just inside the doors; he would've waited outside, but his guards insisted he stayed in. He had a worried expression on his face, though he couldn't pinpoint exactly what he was anxious about.

Gaster greeted Asgore with a smile. It was small like his smiles usually were, though warm, the skeleton happy to see the king. But then he noticed Asgore's worry and his smile faded.

'You look nervous.'

Asgore's paw immediately gravitated toward his ear. "Yes...I apologize. It is just that this is a reminder of the terrible situation we all are in. I suppose lately my mind has been otherwise occupied," he said quietly. "So it's somewhat jarring to be thinking about everything so suddenly, and about to participate in something that could potentially be devastating to us."

The way Asgore's paw moved to his ear did not go unnoticed, something Gaster knew the other only did when nervous and worrying. It was a sight that filled Gaster with the need to comfort him, stepping a little closer to him.

'There's nothing to worry about. You'll only be throwing some magic at the barrier.'

Asgore sighed, a little tension leaving his shoulders. "Yes...you're right. I suppose I just...feel responsible for everything..." He cleared his throat and looked to the side. "But talking about it will do no good, so we may as well be on our way."

'You are too hard on yourself. It's the humans who trapped us here, not you.' Not wanting to debate on the topic, he started walking down the hall. He's been to the barrier enough times to know which direction to go through the castle.

Asgore followed him silently, trying not to focus too hard or too long on the way Gaster moved. It entranced him more than aroused him; he always wondered why a monster as elegant as the scientist would be drawn to one as clumsy as himself.

A few of his guards, as well as Sans, had already made their way to the barrier. Said skeleton was in the middle of flustering the guards with entirely too suggestive flirts when the pair of taller monsters approached. Asgore's face heated in embarrassment as he heard the last bit of Sans' sentence, though he was curious as to how Gaster would respond, if at all.

Maybe it was surprising to Asgore the way Gaster didn't respond at all to what they'd overheard. The two skeletons worked together. Gaster was used to Sans inappropriate flirtation, having been on the receiving end of it himself more than just a couple of times. As long as that flirtation was directed at other monsters and not himself, he was fine.

Briefly he considered using his magic to get their attentions, speak to all of them directly in their minds and such, but he dismissed the idea almost immediately. It wasn't something he didn't like to do with strangers, and not even with friends. Asgore, though, could hear him.

"Can you get their attention for me, please?"

Asgore jumped at suddenly hearing Gaster's voice. If he hadn't been preoccupied with anxiety about monsterkind's current situation, it may have given him an odd sort of arousal, remembering the previous times Gaster had spoken to him in this way.

"Um...excuse me," he called; fortunately, his voice was naturally a bit louder than others', even when he wasn't mentally prepared to speak. "Um...listen to Dr. Gaster. Or...watch him, I suppose..."

The guards immediately jumped to attention at the king's voice, even though he seemed meek and less than regal right now.

"Thank you." Came Gaster's voice in Asgore's mind once more as the royal scientist eyed the guards. Unbeknownst to him, a few of the guards felt nervous under his gaze. It seemed intense to them on that impassive face.

'You all know why you're here, correct?'

There was a short moment of mumbled affirmation from the guards and a mocking, exaggerated yawn from Sans, who then shot a look at Gaster that said 'hurry up.' Asgore was shocked at the blatant disrespect, but wondered if there was just some sort of strange rivalry between the two that appeared as disrespect on the surface.

One of the guards standing near Sans grew extremely fearful, though he tried not to show it. He almost expected the scary royal scientist to punish Sans for such disrespect. That was so far from the truth though. Gaster was completely unfazed by Sans' impatience, though he wouldn't be keeping them waiting for long. Gaster, too, wanted to get straight to the action.

'Good. Whoever has the weakest blue magic shall go first. If the barrier does deflect it, we don't want any serious injuries or deaths. For your own safety, please don't get too close to the barrier while magic is being thrown around.'

Now they'd have to decide among themselves who had the weakest blue magic. Gaster didn't intend to put anyone on the spot, but he also wasn't too concerned about it either.

A rose themed monster turned to his comrades and said smugly, "The weakest? I guess I'm not going first then."

"Thorn," another countered, "What are you talking about? Your blue magic sucks."

Sans snorted. "Why don't you attack each other and see who screams first?" he suggested.

Asgore was unsure whether that was funny or terrifying. He supposed it depended on whether or not the guards took Sans seriously.

The one who'd reprimanded Thorn seemed to take it seriously. "It won't take much for me to make Thorn cry," he huffed, rolling his eyes.

Asgore cleared his throat to get the guards' attention. "You go first. I am sure Dr. Gaster has plenty of work to get back to after this. Either way, neither of us are fond of listening to such childish bickering." His tone was stern, and the guard looked like he could piss himself.

Sans whistled lowly, which Asgore tried his best to ignore.

"Y-yes, your majesty." The guard, now sufficiently humbled, prepared his magic to the best of his ability.

Gaster's arms were crossed and his gaze hard as he watched the guards from his place at Asgore's side. They weren't paying attention to him now, so there'd be no point in signing an order for them to stop. Though there were plenty of ways to get their attention.. like slamming one of his tentacles on the ground so close to the group that the ground cracks. There were so many possibilities, but Gaster acted on none of them. And usually his thoughts weren't so violent, but something about the group irked him right now, minus Sans.. even though that little skeleton was being the most disagreeable of all.

He was grateful that Asgore spoke up and also surprised to hear the king sounding so stern. He knew Asgore was capable of it, but after spending so much time together where the other was nothing but sweet, shy, and honestly meek, hearing him like this was vastly different. A white eyelight glanced up at him before his attention was brought back to the guards as one of them finally began to prepare his blue magic.

Gaster felt tense as he waited, and when the blue magic attack hit the barrier it did not bounce back at them all, something that surprised Gaster enough that his eyesockets widened in a look of shock, curiosity piqued. The magic didn't leave a mark on the barrier of any kind, just hit the barrier before disappearing, but it didn't deflect.

That was good. In fact, it was wonderful! Gaster looked at Sans, looking to see if his fellow scientist was just as surprised as he was. God, he was so tempted to use his voice to tell the guards to hurry on to the next, eager to see how stronger blue magic would fair against the barrier.

Sans' eyesockets widened. He had completely been expecting the experiment to fail. "Damn," he said quietly.

Asgore was equally as surprised. He had been incredibly worried that the experiment would fail and everyone would be once again disheartened.

However, he was far from naive; he didn't exactly expect all the subsequent results to be equally as promising.

"You...Thorn, was it? You go next."

The plant monster nodded and threw his attacks after a few moments of preparation.

Gaster was once again feeling grateful that Asgore was there. The royal scientist was unsure how long they'd take to throw more magic at the barrier if Asgore did not direct them to do so with his voice. Gaster didn't mind being mute. He was reclusive anyway, not often wanting the attention of others, but in times like this it was a bother.

This Thorn character's blue magic was stronger than the last it seemed. Once again the barrier did not deflect the magic, and this time it seemed to sink into the thick barrier a little before dissipating. Squinting in an attempt to see the point of impact better from where he stood behind the small group of guards, it appeared as if there was a dent in the thick barrier. It was there for just a moment before healing, leaving no trace of its minor wound. At least that's what it seemed like. It happened too quick to tell.

After a few more attempts, all of which seemed to have a bigger impact than the last, Sans prepared his attack. He was clearly miffed when his magic, though it made a bigger dent than the previous ones, ultimately had the same effect: nothing. He swore a couple times and crossed his arms, though it was obvious he was playing it up a little.

Asgore was definitely nervous now. He was sure the guards were looking at him to be strong enough, but at this rate, it seemed like it would take a monster a thousand times stronger to make a lasting difference.

His attempt failed as well, but the dent his magic made had lasted a few seconds longer than the last. Even though it seemed better, it still reformed itself, and they were at the same place they'd started.

It was always very obvious how Asgore was feeling, both from his expression and powerful magical aura. Currently he was feeling a mixture of disappointment, loss, and hopelessness, and after a few moments, guilt appeared as well.

Gaster, on the other hand, felt hope. He felt more hope than he had in a long time regarding the eventual destruction of the barrier. However the feeling was dampened by the negative emotions he felt radiating off his his king.

He moved in front of Asgore and spoke to him in that way he only did for Asgore, letting, though he was signing as well, only for show, so the other could respond without it looking like he was talking to himself.

"This experiment was a success, Asgore. Knowing the barrier does not deflect blue magic is a huge step towards taking it down."

Asgore smiled at that. He wanted to reach out and caress Gaster's cheek, but for the sake of professionalism, he did not. "I am glad you think so. I'm not a scientist, so I am not familiar with what the requirements for success are."

Sans lightened up a bit as well watching the two interact; it was difficult to be in a bad mood with them acting all sappy like that.

Asgore noticed that the guards were all shifting uncomfortably, and said, "You may all return to your posts if you wish." They dispersed rather quickly.

Gaster paid the guards no more attention, focusing on his.. lover. Were they lovers? The word flit about inside his mind now and it flustered him. He continued to project his voice into Asgore's mind while still signing at the same time.

"Trial and error is a huge part of it. Lots and lots of error. But this experiment yielded new information that we can use and that's huge success in any scientist's eyes."

Asgore nodded. He could listen to Gaster talk about this forever; his passion for what he did was one of the first things that drew him to the skeleton, after all. "I am certainly glad that we are making progress. It has been far too long since any of us have had any semblance of hope."

Suddenly he became aware of Sans staring at them. He was leaning against the barrier, looking relaxed, and amused. Asgore wasn't sure what to say, but he stared back for a few moments.

He still wondered why in the world Gaster didn't seem to mind Sans' insubordination.

He noticed Asgore looking at something and turned his head in that direction, noticing Sans watching them.

'What's with that look?' Gaster signed. He wasn't angry, only growing steadily more flustered after becoming aware of Sans' gaze. His outer appearance didn't show this, didn't hint at any emotions at all, but knowing Sans he could tell his boss was becoming embarrassed.

Sans smirked. "Lovebirds." He said this lowly, with a snarky tone, but it was clear from the glint in his eyesockets that he wasn't trying to push any buttons.

Asgore's face burned, his magic glowing through the fur on his cheeks. He brought his paw to his ear and rubbed it on impulse.

"Gotta admit, it's nice to see you comin' outta your shell," he pointed out. "And maybe gettin' some of that pent-up frustration out will help you concentrate on your work."

The innuendo completely went over Asgore's head.

However, it did not go unnoticed by Gaster, and he diverted his gaze in a display of shyness. If anyone else was still with them he would have not done so. He would have instead focused on staying as neutral looking as possible, but it was just the three of them now, and he was comfortable with both of them; embarrassed by the things Sans was insinuating, but still comfortable with him at the same time, like it was okay to show weakness in front of him.

'Pervert.'

"It's pretty _hard_ not to be, boss," Sans purred. Asgore hadn't caught what Gaster had signed, so he didn't have any idea what Sans was referring to.

"Well...I'm sure Pap's waiting for me to get home, soooo I'll leave you two to your...business. Whatever that happens to be." Sans winked, and in an instant he was gone.

Asgore was a bit startled by Sans' disappearance, but was a bit preoccupied. "What...was that about?" he asked Gaster. "None of that made sense to me..."

Sans was gone, and Gaster turned back to Asgore as the king spoke. He never failed to surprise the royal scientist with how naive he could be when it came to...these kinds of matters.

'When he referred to releasing pent-up frustration, he was talking about sex, Asgore dear.'

Gaster was in a pretty good mood right now, the results of their little experiment still on his mind.

Asgore's eyes widened, and he wasn't quite sure what to say. "I-I see...is...is it that obvious..?" he asked, clearly a little nervous. "I...do not want a big deal to be made out of...this..."

The pet name still got to him, and made him want to hold Gaster close and tell him how lovely he was.

"I must say...Sans is...quite bold..."

Gaster shift most of his weight to one leg, hip to the side, one hand on said hip as he signed with the other. 'I don't think it's obvious, but Sans was already aware we were steering our relationship in a less professional direction.'

Asgore hummed and nodded in response. "He does seem rather perceptive."

He had no idea what to do with himself. He wanted to scoop Gaster up into his arms, carry him to one of his gardens, and just spent time with him there, whether silently reading or studying the plants, or something else. As long as it was with Gaster, it didn't matter much to Asgore what he did.

He noticed he'd been zoning out and returned his attention to Gaster. "Do you have anything to attend to at the lab?" he asked softly.

Did he have anything else to attend to at the lab? Seeing as how they just made an important discovery, yes, he had tons to do. Gaster already felt like he'd been spending too much time away from work for his personal life even though he crammed in so many more hours than everyone else. It was how he was wired. Time not in the lab was time wasted, time being unproductive.

Internally he scolded himself for the pang of guilt that sprouted in his soul. 'Yes.'  
He would see Asgore another time. There was no reason for him to feel so guilty. Strange how he couldn't give a damn about most monsters, but it pained him to know the king in front of him would be disappointed.

Asgore smiled kindly. "Let me know if there is anything I can further assist you with," he said gently. He placed a timid paw on the side of Gaster's face and pressed a gentle kiss to the top of his skull before heading back in the direction of the castle.

The kiss made his soul soar, yet at the same time that pang of guilt grew ever more persistent. The sound of heels accompanied his strides as he caught up to Asgore before he could get too far, moving to block his path.

'There is one thing.' It wasn't a lie, though that wasn't the full reason he stopped Asgore. He wanted a few more moments with him before heading back to the lab.

Asgore had to consciously keep himself from walking too close to Gaster. His instinct was to put an arm around his waist and pull him against his side. He tried to remind himself that they would have time at some point in the future to be close, but as there wasn't a defined time, it was difficult to be patient.

Gaster smiled a little as he looked up at him. 'Has orange magic been tested on the barrier before? We're here, so we might as well try.'

It would probably be deflected, but having a clear answer was better than speculating. 

'And by 'we', I mean 'you.' I can't use orange magic either.'

"Oh! Yes, sure." The small smile on Gaster's face warmed his soul considerably. Within a few moments he had an attack prepared, albeit not a strong one, as he figured it would be safer to start small. He launched his magic at the barrier, trying in vain not to let his nerves show.

Gaster stood at Asgore's side as he prepared his magical attack, waiting in anticipation for the moment it would hit the barrier and probably bounce back. And bounce back it did, the orange magic only just beginning its rebound through the air back at them before Gaster's own magic countered it, large bones manifesting to block it as Gaster's eyelight glowed purple.

Welp, that answered that question.

Though Asgore was crushed, he was glad he had had the foresight not to use a stronger attack. He sighed quietly and tried to focus on what had worked.

The urge to pull Gaster close was stronger now, but the scientist had things to do, and the last thing he wanted to be was a hindrance to such an important job.

Gaster moved to stand in front of Asgore again to make sure the other could see him signing. The sigh hadn't gone unnoticed.

'A clear answer is better than left not knowing. Thank you for assisting me. I appreciate it.'

Asgore smiled again, this time with much more sadness behind it. "Anytime," he said after a little bit of silence. "Anything I can possibly do to help, I- I will."

He looked off to the side and noticed his paw was at his ear. He brought it back down slowly. "Let me know how...things go, I suppose..?"

Playing with the ear again. Asgore was unhappy despite the smile, that much was obvious to Gaster. He couldn't leave him like this. He'd do one more thing before heading off to the lab. Stepping forward to separate the distance between them, he gingerly placed his hands on Asgore's. He couldn't quite reach Asgore's muzzle standing up on on the tips of his toes.

"A kiss before I go?" He was pretty sure there was no one watching them, but even if they were, Gaster wouldn't care. He was a closed off individual usually, but that didn't mean he was ashamed of the few good relationships he had.

Asgore's face burned. Gaster had never been forward like that before. He nodded and leaned down, taking Gaster's face in both his paws and kissing him gently. He wished he could hold him like that forever, just keep him there, but after a moment he forced himself to part, though he kept one paw on Gaster's face.

"Thank you for doing this, your work, so passionately. I could not imagine anyone else in your position doing such a wonderful job as you."

Being a skeleton, it was impossible for him to kiss back, lest he conjure up a tongue and escalate this innocent smooch to heated french kissing. They could do that another time. Though unable to reciprocate, he enjoyed the affection behind the kiss, and after it was over he leaned gently into the touch of the paw cupping the side of his face. He stayed there for few long moments before finally stepping back.

'I'll see you soon.' As monotonous as signing was, there was a clear smile and blush on the scientist's face. He was obviously looking forward to their next encounter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i barely edited this in favor of getting it out sooner, so im sorry if theres any glaring errors. i hope its been worth the wait.


End file.
